One Fairy Tale Too Many
by crystal-mist
Summary: Dan, Shun, Runo and Alice; Four people with different lives will meet one another and a new story will unwind…  A kind of collage of well known fairy tales incorporated in a very different way.  To know the pairings read and find out.
1. Chapter 1

**Location changes are indicated by *~~X~~* okay? And...This is my seventeenth story…hope you enjoy.**

**Summary****-**** Dan, Shun, Runo and Alice;** **Four people with different lives will meet one another and a new story will unwind… [A kind of collage of well known fairy tales incorporated in a very different way.] To know the pairings read and find out. **

**I do not own Bakugan or any of the Fairy tales that may be incorporated. But remember, everything is going to be unexpected…Or I hope so.**

**One ****Fairy Tale ****Too Many**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 1**

**Prince, Street-rat, Mermaid, Slave!**

Once upon a time, in a far off place there lived a prince; a majestic figure with long black hair and golden eyes.

He was handsome and well known for his courageous and placid nature.

**Shun** Kazami was his name. He was acknowledged as one of the youngest rulers around.

Sure, officially his father was still king, but Shun was still famous.

Shun was a just ruler and he was only nineteen years old.

His twentieth birthday was fast approaching and his minister **Billy **was making the necessary preparations for the grand celebration.

***~~X~~***

Elsewhere in the country a guy of about twenty, with brown hair and matching eyes was running through the filthy streets. He was barefoot but ran as fast as the wind. Two grown men were chasing him, swearing all the while.

He wore ragged clothes and he looked poor, but he was handsome though. If only the grime that covered his face was washed off. This was Daniel Kuso, or **Dan** for short. He ran and ran until he tripped over something.

He looked at it. "A lamp?" he muttered indifferently. The men were still after him, so he picked up the lamp before running.

He hid in a shady corner. As he crouched there, he looked at the lamp. "I wonder if this is gold." He told himself.

He rubbed the dusty lamp with his tattered clothing and suddenly there was a wisp of smoke and before him appeared a man with blue clothing and green hair; such a contradicting combination. He looked at Dan with a bored expression playing on his face.

Dan gaped at him. "You came from that _**tiny**_ lamp?"

"Uh-huh. What's it to you hot-shot?"snorted Ace**, **helet out a sigh before saying. "I am Ace, the humble genie of this lamp."

"I wouldn't call that attitude humble." Muttered Dan.

"Shut up…" Ace said, an intimidating aura growing around him. "You are my master... "He spoke through gritted teeth. "Your wish is my command…yadda yadda…Anyways, just make a wish already so I can get this done with."

"Seriously...You are a genie!" exclaimed Dan.

"Get over it already…"  
Dan gazed at Ace then sniggered. "I wish that you will grant me at least two wishes per day."

Ace's mouth dropped open. "No, that's a violation of the contract."

"Hey ….I never made any contract with you buddy…SO my wish **is your** command." said Dan with a sly grin.

Ace snapped his fingers and a book appeared in front of him.

He inspected the book thoroughly… "Sorry, that is against the genie's code…" concluded Ace.

"You are just saying that to get out of this predicament aren't you?" stated Dan whilst pouting.

"Of course not…It is stated specifically in rule 7008-5-u-667 that a genie is only to give a particular master ten wishes altogether. And only ONE wish per day."

Dan snorted…. "Whatever...Alright then, I wish for food…Or rather, this table cloth that appears when I summon it and when I open it, it should always have food in it..." explained Dan with a wide smile.

Ace raised an eyebrow."Specific when it comes to food aren't we?..." he grunted "Why don't you wish for some less disgusting clothing first?" muttered Ace as he summoned the specific cloth Dan had asked for.

Dan was a kind guy at heart; he went into a nearby orphanage and offered the kids there food. As the food came never endingly there was no problem. And after he had his fill he snapped his finger and the cloth disappeared.

***~~X~~***

Marucho was the son of an extremely wealthy merchant. Just as Dan emerged from the orphanage, Marucho reached there.

He and Dan were not enemies but weren't great friends either.

"Where's the money Kuso?" he asked.

"Oh shoot, I forgot…" Dan exclaimed; subconsciously he talked to Ace… _"I need money."_ He pleaded.

Ace closed his eyes. "I told you…Only ONE wish per day..."

"_You can give me more…_

"I **won't**…Deal with it."

Dan spent the rest of the day trying to gather enough money to repay his debt.

In the end; he couldn't obtain the money and Marucho smiled smugly…"Remember…the condition." muttered Marucho as he laughed helplessly.

Dan nodded amidst the blush on his face.

He then made his way to the beach and sat on one of the rocks there…His clothes got drenched with the sprays of water but he didn't care…

He wondered just how much help Ace would be to him…He had nine more wishes. What would he wish for? For now, Ace was just a stubborn genie.

He was thankful that Marucho was indirectly helping him to buy more time with that ridiculous condition he proposed. He sighed heavily as he gazed at the wide expanse of water before him.

***~~X~~***

Beneath the surface of the water; deep in the depths of the ocean there was a swarm of fish and sea-horses swimming about merrily. They swam in a circle, and at the centre was a beautiful girl with blue hair and eyes. Her hair was as aqua-marine as the sea water itself.

She was a beautiful mermaid…She swam in the water elegantly.

After a little while she swam to one of the caverns in the sea.

She sat on one of the rocks. Her tail was settled beautiful; she started brushing her hair… **Runo****,** the mermaid looked at the wide expanse of the ocean. She loved it there, but at times wondered if there was something missing in her life.

She swam up to the surface of the ocean so that she was just outside the water. There was no one or nothing anywhere around her.

She looked at the bright full moon overhead and started to sing a beautiful mermaid song…

***~~X~~***

From the shore, Dan could hear that song. He wondered where it came from. He looked at the bright moon and let himself melt in the beautiful voice that reached his ears…

***~~X~~***

Elsewhere; in a dark and musty place; there sat a beautiful girl with brown eyes and orange hair…

She rested her head on one of the walls as her chocolate eyes gazed into the darkness before her...

Her name was **Alice**.

Suddenly there was a squeaking sound as the door opened.

At the entrance there stood a fat lady –Alice's foster mother- she was glaring at her.

"Get up you lazy girl…It's time for your night-time chores…"

Alice stood up wordlessly. Her clothes were ragged and dirty, perhaps more than Dan's were. She was condemned to stay in the cold musty cellar.

Alice took the mop in hand and started cleaning as her foster mother got in bed and turned out the light.

Alice was left all alone in the darkness as she continued cleaning.

A tear rolled down her cheek. Who made their foster daughters do 'night-time chores' anyway?"

It wasn't like this was new to her. She had always been treated like dirt. The darkness had always been her life…She and darkness became inseparable, and virtually the same ever since her parents died.

She was; by birth a princess of the next kingdom and the heiress to an incredible fortune. But ever since an incident ten years ago the people believed that every member of the royal family was murdered…

They thought that she was dead and now she was nothing more than a servant, a slave.

***~~X~~***

Shun was sitting in his balcony looking at the beautiful moon as well. His golden eyes glinted in its light. As he looked at the sky he saw the translucent figure of a girl with short orange hair standing there.

"I am **Mira**, the _general fairy Godmother_… I came here to inform you that on your twentieth birthday something will happen… Something, which will forever change your life and it, will lead you to the introduction of your one true love…"

Shun was taken aback…He gazed at Mira, his supposed Fairy Godmother.

"Thank you for the info…Can't you tell me who it is while you are at it?"

"You expect too much from life…All answers aren't straight. you'll have to work hard to reach them."

Shun sighed. "And what do you mean by 'general fairy godmother'."

"Oh you'll find out soon enough." She muttered winking. She then disappeared.

***~~X~~* **

Alice looked at the big moon as it shone through the darkness in an attempt to comfort her. She peeked through the window and reached with her hand to the moon.

"I wonder… if anyone else is watching the moon as well." She whispered to herself, trying to cheer herself up.

As a matter of fact, three others were staring at the moon at the same time…

Dan, Shun, Runo and Alice would soon find themselves in midst of utter confusion and chaos.

Four people with different lives will meet one another and a new story will unwind.

**Location changes are indicated by *~~X~~* okay?**

**Alright, so I had a hard time incorporating all the characters in their roles and actually explaining about their conditions.**

**But I hope you like it though... Please Forgive me and do inform me of any potential mistakes. Also tell me anything you feel like kay? I want to know the reaction of my readers. Whether it is praise, advice or criticism I want to hear from Ya'll kay? SO press the magical review button down below and leave me a note.**

**Thank you.**

**Ja ne.**


	2. Chapter 2

Before we begin please let us join together and pray for the safety of the people in Japan who have encountered a very devastating Tsunami and earthquake

**Thanks all of you for your support, for reading and leaving me such splendid reviews… Thankyou.**

**One Fairy Tale Too Many**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 2**

In the wide expanse of the ocean Runo, the mermaid was swimming about. But then, there seemed to be an unnatural amount of paddling coming from the surface of the water. She was puzzled for a bit, but then decided to investigate…

As Runo swam up, she could see a pair of legs thrashing in the water. A man was drowning. She felt concerned for him; she remembered her father telling her not to reveal her identity to humans. But she couldn't just let him die.

So she took hold of him and led him to the shore.

He was still conscious, he sat upright on the rocks and spent a considerable amount of time coughing and regaining his breathe... "I am sorry for causing you trouble." He apologized to Runo with a smile on his face.

The said man had brownish blonde hair.

"You are not surprised at all?" exclaimed Runo.

"Oh…You mean because you are a mermaid? No…I am just thankful to you… My name is Joe, I…am a novelist." He told her.

"I'm Runo…a mermaid."

"I can see that." He said chuckling a little.

She blushed a little and turned away from his gaze. He was a land-dweller yet he was so charming in everything he said.

"For you." He said as he held out a little bottle to her.

"What's this?"

"You'll find out soon enough." He replied with a smirk.

There was something remotely disturbing about his smirk. But Runo did not notice it.

"Every story is interesting, especially yours…" he muttered. "Savour every moment of the enjoyable tale." He said with a small smile as he left her.

Runo looked at him with her aqua-marine eyes. That last bit he had said. What had he meant by it? She shrugged off her suspicion.

Perhaps incorporating strangely mysterious captions in whatever you uttered came from being an author.

After he left, she turned her attention to the little bottle, it had a very unappealing moss-green liquid in it and it bore the words 'Drink Me'.

She raised an eyebrow, but decided to try the thing later, because she definitely didn't feel like pouring that strange goo down her throat at that particular moment.

***~~X~~***

"Alright Ace…Another day another wish…" declared Dan as he looked at his genie.

"I want money." said Dan.

"How much?"

"Not too much, because then I'll turn into a greedy tycoon. Too much money is enough to make even the strongest men surrender and be its slave."

"Such profound words; I cannot believe they fell from your lips." said Ace as he smirked. "Tell you what…I'll bestow you with another cloth like the one before but instead of food, it will yield money. 100 gold coins per day. How does that sound?"

Dan nodded in agreement. "Right but-"

"I know; I'll give you enough money to repay Marucho's debt initially." said Ace.

Dan looked at him in disbelief. "Who are you, and what have you done with the obnoxious genie that was in this lamp yesterday?"

"Hey don't make me take your brain…Oh wait, you don't have one."

Dan snorted… "Touché."

Dan returned Marucho's money…

"It's good you returned the money in such a short period of time." said the little blonde. "Although I am sorry to inform you that you will still have to perform the condition." Said Marucho, a glint appeared in his glasses as he straightened them on his nose. "It is said in the contract."

"What no!" cried Dan in horror.

"I am sorry… But, I would really want to see the unfolding of this condition." said Marucho still giggling.

Dan left Marucho's place with an embarrassed look on his face.

"SO what's the condition?" asked Ace. Curiosity was getting the better of him.

"It's …" Dan was still blushing. "I…"

As Ace heard the condition he broke out into helpless laughter, "That is so rich…" he was still laughing. "I don't blame Marucho for being so excited, I honestly am."

"Shut up stupid genie…"

***~~X~~***

It was the day of Prince Shun's birthday. Everyone in the kingdom was invited to the grand celebration [including maids of course].

It was an evening with heavenly weather and the party was very grand.

***~~X~~***

Runo just got into a big fight with her many sisters… She was unhappy; she swam to the surface of the water and settled herself down on some rocks… She was so angry that she wished there was some magic in her life…Some mystery; yes, that was what she needed.

She took out the bottle Joe had given her. She smelt it; boy, it reeked. It was revolting. She drank the entire contents in a single gulp. Suddenly, an overwhelming amount of pain seized her.

She fell back into the water as the pain seared through her.

The next thing she knew she was washed up on the shore… She coughed a little and was about to return back into the water when she noticed something strange…

Her beautiful tail was missing…and instead of them, there were a pair of legs, like the land dwellers.

Runo was surprised, but she was excited as well. She was intrigued by the idea of exploring the land…But how had that human got his hands on such a potion? He was only a novelist… She decided that she would ponder on that topic later.

Just then, a carriage drew by.

It came to a stop and from inside emerged a girl with silvery hair… Her hair was braided repeatedly and tied in a somewhat big bun with quite a large amount still untied. She walked over to Runo.

"What are you doing washed up on the beach like this?" asked the princess.

Runo opened her mouth to answer but her voice did not sound… Apparently the potion had paralyzed her voice.

Tears glazed Runo's eyes. Her beautiful voice was gone…

"Oh…Dear why are you crying?"

Runo pointed to her throat and shook her head from side to side.

"I see…You are mute…It's alright… There is a big celebration in the palace tonight, you should come." said the princess as she helped the other girl to her feet.

Runo was astounded by her kindness.

The princess introduced herself as **Julie **and provided Runo with a beautiful gown, a mask and a hat."

Runo curtseyed to let Julie know of her gratitude.

As they entered the large palace Runo was astounded at the vast interior. 'Beautiful' she thought to herself as her bright blue eyes twinkled in happiness.

It was an adventure alright.

***~~X~~***

Alice's step mother left her all alone in the house and went to attend the ball along with Alice's step-sisters. Her step-sisters sniggered as they left the house. They were clad in beautiful clothes and exquisite jewelry.

Alice sat all alone in the semi-darkness of the dusk. That was when an unexplained light shined in front of her. She gazed at it in surprised.

There, amidst the light stood a woman with short orange hair and what's more, she was translucent and levitating off the ground…

Alice was a bit scared but then the warm smile on the woman's face made Alice drop her guard.

"I am Mira, the 'general Fairy God-mother'." said the translucent figure. "Do not worry Alice…You shall go to the ball tonight… I will make sure that you do…Just get me a pumpkin and a white mouse."

Alice obeyed and brought Mira what she had asked for.

Alice set the pumpkin on the ground and held the mouse out to Mira. Mira immediately jumped in fright and hid behind a wall… "Aaah…I wanted to use the mouse because my cousin had done something similar… " she said. "BUT I am scared of mice." shrieked Mira as she peeped around the wall. "I thought that I got over that fear…" she then shouted at Alice in a commanding tone ."Let it go…NOW…get it away from me."

Alice sweat-dropped; Mira seemed like a reliable person but now Alice was starting to doubt the efficiency of the Fairy before her.

She let go of the rat.

Mira took out a carrot.

Alice looked at it with wide eyes. What the?

"Ah…The spirit world has decided to go eco-friendly. SO this is my magic wand…At least I am not stuck with a tomato like some others."

"What's eco-friendly-" .

"Never mind…" Mira cut her short as she waved her carrot.

The pumpkin transformed into a carriage and Alice was instantly enveloped in a very beautiful dress that glittered beautifully. Her face was covered with a mask and on her head was a hat. [This was apparently the dress-code for the prince's ball. A mask and a hat; what bad taste.]

Alice thanked Mira and got into the carriage. The carriage drove by itself with no horses…Mira couldn't improvise horses. The onlookers called it a 'ghost-carriage' as it drove by itself.

Alice was just glad to be going to the ball and she was unaware that the passers-by dubbed her carriage haunted.

Mira made her way back to the spirit world, she pouted to herself. "How come she didn't ask me what a 'general fairy godmother' was?" she muttered to herself. "Oh shoot….I forgot to tell her that she had to get back by midnight... Whatever…She'll figure out that something's wrong when the clock striking triggers vibrations in her head….And even so, only the carriage will disappear…She can walk the rest of the way."

Alice's eyes widened in admiration as she saw the amazing décor of the palace.

"This place is heavenly." She whispered in wonder.

***~~X~~***

Shun sat on the throne and looked towards the floor of the ballroom. Hoards of girls were there with the finest clothing and various accessories.

He sighed slightly…How was he to find his true love amidst this immense gathering?

The girls often looked at him and waved, they each hoped to dance with him. He didn't even feel compelled to wave back. Plainly, he was bored.

Shun sighed as she looked at the line of women who were waiting for him to descend.

Personally to Shun, it seemed like they were a pack of hungry coyotes who've been denied any kind of food for at least a month. He brushed the long strands of hair behind his ear and put on his green mask and one by one started descending the steps.

**[A/N: I want to inform all of you one thing. This story is NOT a reenactment of various Fairy tales… I intend on taking just entities from some fairy tales and twist them and fit them all together into a single story…For example Runo is not solely the little mermaid…She just happens to be a mermaid and the EXACT plot of the Fairy Tale will NOT be followed. I hope that is okay with you.**

**Now that I've cleared that one up I hope you enjoyed this chapter…**

**Please do review.**


	3. Chapter 3

Just to make myself absolutely clear.

**A/N: This story is not the original version, for example many of you might've noticed that Runo's a mermaid And she receives a bottle with "Drink me" on it. This might be contradictory because that "drink me" is from Alice in wonderland…**** That is an example of what I intend to do, I'****m gonna mix everything together, you see****,**** that means things may happen to the characters that are related to other fairy tales and not the one you may expect.**

I hope I've cleared everything up…If you find this confusing let me know please. But for the major part all you have to do is read.

**One Fairy Tale Too Many**

**crystal-mist**

Chapter 3

Shun sighed as he looked at the line of women who were waiting for him to descend.

He brushed the long strands of hair behind his ear and put on his green mask and one by one started descending the steps

All the princesses started squealing… He gulped as he reached the second last step.

He drew in a deep breathe.

Almost as if by accident Shun ran into a girl who wore a beautiful purple gown. She didn't look too eager to dance with him… It looked more like she was a bit uneasy when he bumped into her.

Shun found this reaction favourable, so he smiled. "May I have the pleasure of this dance Madame?" he questioned, in a very charming tone.

She seemed extremely doubtful; her brown eyes gazed at him with a very embarrassed expression. But it would be extremely bad manners if she turned down the prince's offer to dance so she accepted.

But there was this sort of stubbornness in the expression on her face.

***~~X~~***

Runo the mermaid was excited. She was not only on land but was attending a grand party… It was wonderful.

Julie had told her to feel free and wander around. And so she did… She had made her way to the garden outside…It was beautiful and it was lit up gorgeously.

She stood there for a bit. Seeing no one around there she took in a deep breathe and decided to get accustomed to her new found legs. She extended her arms to both her sides and twirled. Her gown floated about gracefully as she did so.

As she was twirling for about the third time her leg wobbled a bit and she was sent hurtling down to the ground. But then she realized that she had fallen onto someone.

It was Joe. Her aqua eyes widened as she saw him.

"Hello sweet mermaid." He muttered with a flattering smile on his face.

She bowed a little since she couldn't talk. She considered the situation for a bit, should she thank him for the potion or whack him on the head for not telling her what exactly it would do to her voice and her tail.

He extended his hand out to her. "Care to dance? I'll lead."

Runo deliberated for a bit but then took his hand and danced in tune with the music…She had to admit, it was fun to dance like this, to have feet.

After the course of two songs Joe parted from her.

When he did, she found another bottle in her hand. This one contained orange goo in it. She looked at it… The words "Drink me" was printed on it in bold font.

She looked at Joe; she supposed it was the antidote for the earlier potion

'What does this thing do?' she wrote on the mud with a twig.

"It will allow you to escape the dilemma of human beings." He answered.

She raised an eyebrow at him. 'Where do you get these from anyway?' she wrote once again.

"Once the secret is revealed then the magic disappears with it." He said, the smile still on his face.

'Why are you here?' wrote Runo on the mud. It was tiresome but it was the only mode for communication.

"You can see the stars from here." He said pointing to the sky.

Runo looked at the sky, her eyes widened as she saw the cloudy sky…She couldn't see a single star amidst the dark clouds.

But when she had turned to Joe, he was gone… It was all very mysterious, he disappeared just as suddenly as he came.

She sighed and carefully stashed away the bottle he had given her.

***~~X~~***

Shun was meanwhile dancing with the mysterious girl. He danced flawlessly; the girl however trod on his feet very often and muttered apologies in the shiest tone.

He would chuckle…. It was strange, the way she acted, a typical tom-boy. At least, that was the conclusion Shun drew from watching her closely.

Mira's words echoed through his mind.-_"Something __will lead you to the introduction of your one true love…"_

He wondered if this was the girl he was destined to marry, So far, the only distinguishable detail about her were her brown eyes.

"Do I know you? Is there any way we've met before?" he asked her, trying to make conversation.

"Not really…" she replied.

"Well then I…" he was cut short when her eyes fell on the clock that showed the time 11:59 p.m.

"I'm leaving…" she said pulling herself away from Shun, she seemed in a hurry.

"What?" Shun exclaimed…

"I said I have to go."

Shun held onto her hand. "Not just yet…" Mira said that he would meet his true love. Granted, he didn't feel anything special- no rapidly beating heart or blushing face- in her presence. But if she was his true love by any chance he wasn't going to let her get away.

She turned around to face him. She smiled widely then stomped his foot with her high heels and took the opportunity to run away.

As she ran down the steps of the palace, her glass shoe was left behind.

Shun reached there and saw her shoe there. He picked it up.

"My shoe! Give it back." she exclaimed as she stopped in her tracks.

He gaped…."No way, if you want it back come here and get it…" Shun was an adult, his comebacks were that of a 12 year old.

"Miser!" she said again.

"Oh just come back and get the shoe…Please…" he remembered Mira's words. "You are my one true love." He cried out.

"You just met me; you freak." She yelled as she ran away…

Shun was left there standing all alone with nothing but a purple glass slipper in his hand, his mouth wide in amazement.

"She is….unique." he muttered, not knowing if he should laugh or feel disgraced at being called a 'miser' and a 'freak' by a girl.

After he reached back in the palace he told Billy of the girl he had met. And what Mira, his 'general fairy Godmother' had told him.

Billy looked at him wide-eyed. "And you don't know what she looks like?... "

Shun shook his head from side to side…Wait, so did this mean that he was going o remain alone and unmarried for the rest of his life, not that it bothered him, but it wouldn't be good for his reputation.

Just then a great crash echoed through the ballroom and Shun was on the ground with something lying on top of him. Something oval-shaped, white and seemingly heavy.

A massive over-sized egg – there was no mistaking it- it rolled off Shun and a crack shown on it. . Little bits of its shell lay scattered across the room.

Shun was still lying no the ground with stars orbiting his head. Apparently that massive egg had hit him on the head.

Then a mouth, eyes, hands and legs appeared on the egg and it started singing

"_Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,_

_Humpty Dumpty had a great fall,_

_All the king's horses and all the king's men,_

_Wouldn't put Humpty together again._

_Why, you ask this utter prejudice?_

_Because__,__ I seem to have crushed the prince."_

And then, just suddenly as it appeared it ran away. Even the bits of the shell that lay on the ground grew feet and scurried away before he could get 'arrested' or 'hard-boiled'; whichever term may be appropriate.

The gathering in the ballroom looked on with shock as Billy carried the now unconscious prince up the stairs and into the private quarters.

"Hey Shun…You alright?" he asked, shaking the prince a little.

Shun groaned a little.

"I wonder what that giant egg was…Where did it come from? Was it enchanted perhaps?"

After about two hours Shun regained consciousness.

Billy realized that Shun had caught a mysterious case of amnesia. He couldn't remember anything that had happened that day. He could remember the previous day and also that he was supposed to meet his true love on the day of his birthday. But he couldn't recall even the minutest detail of his birthday.

Billy sighed; there was nothing he could do. And the worst thing was that Shun hadn't told Billy of the glass slipper that was left behind before the egg hit him.

***~~X~~***

Alice had managed to reach home before twelve… She leant on the wall, she was grateful to Mira for helping her… The palace was just a wonderful place with so many gorgeous things.

Although, she didn't know why she felt restless the whole day, she'd been extremely fidgety and jumpy when she was in the palace.

She shook her head from side to side as she opened the door and went inside her home –if you could call it that- and waited for her 'family' to return from the ball.

***~~X~~***

Dan sat in the streets with this exasperated expression on his face… "That was close." He muttered.

"Hm…" Ace, the genie sniggered as he stood leaning on the wall in the corner. "Now don't bother me for two days numb-skull." He added before he disappeared into his lamp.

"I am so going to get you for that…. GENIE." shouted Dan, shaking his fist at the golden lamp.

***~~X~~***

**Thanks for reading. Please do tell me what you think.**

**Alright, so I know that the Humpty Dumpty thing was unexpected… *smiles innocently* Just a strange idea I got from one of my crazy dream… In my dream, my best friend is the on who gets crushed by the massive egg. LOL.**

**REVIEW please.**

**Thanks.**


	4. Chapter 4

**One Fairy Tale Too Many**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 4**

**Two Meetings.**

After the ball Julie had taken Runo to where she lived because Runo had told her that she lived far far away and hadn't made arrangements for a place to stay. Julie however did not mind.

The carriage stopped in front of a huge tower.

Runo's aqua eyes widened as she saw how tall it was.

She went inside. The place was luxurious. Julie wasn't a princess but someone who was born into one of the highest ranking noble families and she was filthy rich.

"Please make yourself at home." Said Julie as she summoned her maids and told them that Runo would be their guest for a while.

'_I wonder why she is so kind to me'_ thought Runo as she gazed at the generous silver-haired girl.

***~~X~~***

Shun had no memories of the previous. He became frantic as he remembered that she was probably his 'one true love'. He had to find her…But how though?

Billy suggested that he should probably make an announcement or something.

Shun sighed a bit…"Why me? Why did I have to forget something so crucial?" he leant back on the chair as he looked at the ceiling. "I am going out into the city." Declared Shun.

"But prince…Why?"

But before Billy could complete his question Shun had already left the room.

Shun went to his massive cupboard and took out a set of commoner's clothes.

***~~X~~***

The streets of the city were filled with dirt as usual. The people went about their work and the markets were full of hustle and bustle. No one paid special attention to the person who walked through the streets clad in a brown cloak.

He mad his way through the streets like any other ordinary person. That was when he bumped into someone; a girl.

The girl was sent to the ground and the groceries she carried scattered here and there.

"Are you alright?" asked the man in the cloak as he extended a helping hand to her.

The orange haired girl-Alice considered for a bit then took hold of his hand.

He helped her up… "Uh sorry about that miss, I wasn't paying much attention to where I was going….you aren't hurt are you?"

"No, I'm fine." She said as she straightened her rags.

He helped her pick up the groceries. "They are ruined; my foster-mom will kill me." She whispered to herself under her breathe. She hadn't thought that the man would hear her.

"Allow me to pay for the damage." He said in a concerned voice.

"Oh no, you needn't do that sir."

It was then that he actually looked at her. His face involuntarily lit up in a smile as he saw her…She was beautiful…

"May I know your name?" he asked without deliberating for even one moment.

"UH…It's Alice…" before she could ask him his name he took out a pouch and emptied some money into Alice's hand.

"I am sorry for bumping into you like that."

And what's more, this nice man helped her with the shopping as well. He also brought her a glass of fruit juice and some cream cake.

She tried telling him that it was alright and that he really shouldn't do so much for her just because she fell down. But he only smiled through the hood of the cloak and said. "I was going to eat some cake anyway…And personally I think it's better if you have company."

She sat at the table of one of the café type places. And he was sitting across from her.

When the order arrived he took off the hood of his cloak and a wide smile appeared on his face.

Alice stared at the face this extremely kind young man. He was really handsome to say the least. His golden eyes had the warmest aura to them…After about five minutes reality dawned upon Alice.

"Oh Lord…You are the prince!" she exclaimed in a low voice.

His golden eyes widened as he studied the girl in front of him. "You recognized me?" he asked in disbelief.

"Well…" a blush crept on her cheek. Why? She did not know.. " The party…It wasn't too long ago…I am sure half the girls in this kingdom can recognize you now." She stated.

A small smile tugged his lips as he heard the innocence with which Alice spoke every word.

"Really?" he asked, taking the fork and putting a bit of the cake into his mouth.

"Uh…Yes, of course…Your majesty."

"Stop calling me your majesty." He said in a gentle tone. "My name is Shun Kazami." He also had slipped the hood back over his head. He didn't want to take any unnecessary risks of being recognized by hoards of girls and starting a stampede.

"But then why are you here in the city?"

"AH…" he leant back on the chair to get a clearer view of Alice's flawless face from under his cloak. "I don't know myself…but I guess the simplest answer would be that I am looking for someone."

"Hm… I see….It's rare, for royalty to come to towns such as this in disguise."

He just shrugged his shoulders, and then his eyes fell on the plate in front of Alice. "Why aren't you eating?" he asked."Don't you like cake?"

"Well I…"

"You're shy?" he asked, and immediately smiled as he saw the blush that covered her cheeks.

"No that's not it…But how can I repay you for this."

"You shouldn't be bothered about that." He said.

She gazed for a few seconds at the cake and then put a little piece of it in her mouth. "Delicious." She stated in a cutely high voice.

Shun laughed a little as he saw the delight on her face. He didn't realize, but now he had his elbow on the table and was staring at Alice…It was strange, the effect she had on him. He had only just met her.

After their little snack she said that she had to leave and he nodded. Inside he was a bit disappointed but he didn't let Alice see that.

"Thank you for everything Sire." She said with a graceful courtesy.

He took off the hood of the cloak for a brief minute so that it would be easier to see Alice's face.

Alice also had her eyes fixed on Shun's. The prince, he had just spent a whole afternoon with her. And what's more, he was so kind and he seemed happy as he stared back into her eyes.

They just stared at one another wordlessly… The Shun extended his hand and laid it on the top of her head and stroked her hair once or twice or thrice, she was so caught up in the moment that she didn't notice. "No… **I **would like to thank you….Alice."

Alice could feel her heart beating so fast. An amazingly deep blush appeared on her face as she continued to gaze into the beautiful eyes of the prince.

"Allow me to take your leave then…" he said and with that he gave her one more smile before putting his hood back on.

"Goodbye."

"Alright then…Sire."

Even after he had left, the blush never left Alice's face as she stood there with the groceries in her hand.

_The prince…I can't believe it that he…was here…and was so nice to some commoner such as me._

***~~X~~***

The next day.

Alice was by the river, she was doing the laundry. She hummed a beautiful tune as she did her work. She couldn't help but let her mind wander to the happenings of the last day. I was indeed bewildering. The prince had left a lasting impression in her mind.

She thought that she heard some rustling from behind the bushes.

She looked in the directions, she was a bit scared. Was it some kind of a wild animal?

Suddenly, a brown haired guy came into view.

He ran over to her… "Hide me." He urged.

"What?"

"I'll explain later." He told her. Coincidentally this guy was none other than Dan.

"Alright then…Climb a tree or something."

"Right." And saying this he leapt up a tree and sat upon its branches.

Soon some thugs came through the bushes as well. They seemed like they were pursuing someone. Alice washed the clothes like nothing had happened.

"Excuse me miss…have you seen a young man going through here?"

"NO…not that I know of." said Alice.

"But we are positive that someone came this way right now."

"Oh my, are you implying that I am lying?" she asked with puppy-dog eyes that made her look exceptionally childlike.

A blush appeared on the thugs' faces as they saw how cute and sweet she looked with that innocent smile.

"We are sorry… Let us take your leave."

After about ten minutes Dan came down from the tree. "Thanks." He told Alice with a smile.

"Why were they chasing you anyway?"

"They have nothing better to do."

"You're lying, but I won't pry in your personal business." She said studying the man who had the big wacky smile on his face. He didn't look like a convict, so he didn't pose any threat to her. At least that's what she was able to deduce from his behaviour.

"My name's Daniel." He introduced himself bowing a little.

"I'm Alice."

"Thanks for helping a perfect stranger…And that innocent smile you gave them was simply adorable."

A blush tinted her cheeks a cute shade of pink.

He was still smiling the most gorgeous smile that she felt compelled to return it. So she smiled back sweetly. "It's alright… But you owe me." She said joking.

"Right…" he nodded. "I won't forget that… I'll repay you…I have to go now… Nice meeting you Alice."

And with that he left into the bushes again…

'_Dan; what a strange character!'_ she thought to herself. His smile was so open, so honest… _'I wonder if I will ever see him again.'_

***~~X~~***

That same evening Runo was sitting in Julie's garden… She took out the bottle that Joe had given her. She shook it a little and watched as the repulsive-looking liquid whirled about. She decided to put it off for later…

Runo looked at the bright blue sky. Somehow it seemed more beautiful from the land.

Unbeknownst to her; A pair of brown eyes watched her... The owner found that he couldn't take his eyes off of her. She was so beautiful, so flawless and her eyes were just so intriguing. Her appearance reminded him of Alice… (Not the colour of hair or eyes, but the flawlessness of her features.)

She was walking through the garden and he quietly followed her almost in a trans-like state.

Dan didn't know how or why he had started watching this blue-haired princess. All he knew was that he was practically a stalker now –the way he was following her-.

He sighed as he hit himself in the face.

"_You idiot what are you thinking? That girl, look at her fine clothes…She is a princess, no doubt…And you? A street-rat…You stand no chance with her. And plus, royalty is always snobby…Alice is no doubt much sweeter and kinder__._ " His conscience told him.

"That's right, that princess is probably stuck up..." He told himself and then abandoned following the princess.

That was when a plan struck his mind…The princess was probably a snobby brat…But there is no telling for sure... Ace could help him…Yes Ace, he was the answer. The strange green-haired genie would be the solution to this curiosity that infested his mind. And what's more he could repay Alice for her kindness as well.

**For those who have some time on their hands, please read what's given below, or at least read only the italics in the parenthesis. ((**

**As a very wise person said in an anime-"There are no such things as co-incidences, only the inevitable." Have you ever heard that one? That phrase really made me think… And then I went into one of my strange pondering-states…The result of all that thinking? I wrote something so strange… here it is.**

_((The lives of people are interconnected like numerous threads in a knot and the tug of one thread affects the other, as is the consequence of our actions. And thus the cycle of time is set underway. A labyrinth of interconnected threads that resembles webs envelops us…And human beings are caught in midst of all these knots that twist and turn about. Humans are the centre of the maze or perhaps merely a puppet in the hands of another. And thus, life goes on relentlessly, waiting for no one and the merciless tide of time ebbs away at the banks of futility.))_

**So how was this chapter? I am so thankful for your support. This story was something that just hit me out of nowhere… Well, please tell me what you think alright?**

**Please REVIEW.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks you all for clicking this particular link. And thanks to ALL my WONDERFUL reviewers. Thanks, all of you…**  
Please do Enjoy

**One Fairy Tale Too Many**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 5**

The next day Shun found himself going towards the town once more. He didn't even know why. He just sat on one of the benches waiting.

What exactly was he waiting for? Perhaps 'who' would be the proper question.

He sighed as he realized that he was there to see if he could spot Alice again. After about an hour he stood up from the bench and was about to give up when out of the corner of his eye he spotted an orange hired girl. His heart sped up a beat or two as he noticed that it was Alice.

He caught up with her and walked beside her. "Hey…how are you."

She stopped in her tracks expecting a stalker or such. She looked terrified.

"Don't be alarmed…It's me…Don't tell me you forgot me already?" he exclaimed in fake shock as he withdrew the cloak's hood from his head.

"Your Highness."

"Again with the formality…When'll you start calling me like normal?" he said as a smile lit up his face.

Alice found herself involuntarily blushing as she spent yet another day with the prince. Was this not every girl's dream? But to her, it was way better than a dream.

"Alice…you are…an interesting person…I mean it." He told her.

She blushed. "Interesting you say?" she repeated in a slightly puzzled tone.

That evening as they were parting yet again Alice made a very startling discovery. She was starting to house feelings for the prince. His kind nature was something she found extremely endearing. But she was a commoner; her desire was just irrational and perhaps foolish. Now, that can't be a good thing.

***~~X~~***

The next day, Dan rushed through the forest with a wide smile plastered on his face. He then climbed a tree and waited. After about two hours of waiting a little tune reached his ears.

He smiled and leapt out of the tree and landed right in front of the orange-haired girl who was walking through there. Alice gasped. "Ah! Dan, you scared me."

"Uh sorry…" he said sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. "Alright then, I've come here to repay you for your kindness." He declared enthusiastically.

"What?"

Before Alice knew what was happening Dan took her arm and led her to a clearing. She was a bit weary. What exactly was he planning to do? A blush appeared on her face as she considered the possibilities.

"What do you intend on doing?" she asked hastily pulling her hand away from his grip.

Dan gazed at her in surprise…Then her train of thought dawned upon him. "Ah! I am not trying to do what you think." He exclaimed, his brown eyes wide. He sighed. "Just hear me out alright?"

Alice kept her distance as Dan took out his golden lamp and rubbed the lamp and Ace; the genie appeared out of it.

Alice looked at it wide-eyed. "What is this?"

"He's a genie…His name is Ace." explained Dan.

Ace started lecturing Dan. "What do you think you are doing? How dare you disclose the secret of the genie?"

"You never told me that was against the rules."

"But I still need my privacy-" he stopped short as his eyes fell on Alice… Her orange hair somewhat stirred nostalgia in him as he remembered someone from the spirit world (Mira). "Ah never mind." He said in a defeated tone. "What do you want?"  
Dan spent some time explaining to Alice just what he intended to do.

"You want to be royalty? Just to get to know this girl you just happened to see one day?" exclaimed Alice.

"That's right…" said Dan rubbing the back of his head in an embarrassed posture. "It sounds silly when you put it that way…But I-"

Alice's heart started beating wildly as she considered the possibility of being liberated from her foster mother's tyranny. And also; if Dan were to wish that they became royalty then she might stand a chance to win Shun's love…She could make herself worthy to receive him interest.

"Alright then…I concur with your plan." agreed Alice.

"But why exactly did you come here to get me? I mean, you could have very well done this without me."

"Huh? Oh, it's always better to have company. And plus, I was indebted to you, remember?"

She laughed a little.

Ace did a bit of chanting. And with that sparkles filled the surroundings and Dan was clad in clothes of a prince and Alice had a beautiful sparkly gown.

Alice twirled a bit… "This feels so grand…So nice."

Ace, the genie smiled at her straightforwardness. "Now I wouldn't mind if you were my master instead of this obnoxious guy." He muttered.

"Hey I heard that." said Dan. "Alice, it's time for our grand entrance."

***~~X~~***

Meanwhile Julie was visiting the palace.

"Hey Shun, so did you find your soul-mate yet?" asked Julie.

Shun sighed, his childhood friend Julie was just too enthusiastic. It was then that he noticed blue-haired girl who stood beside Julie.

"Who's this?" asked Shun.

"She's…" Julie thought for a bit. "She's a distant cousin…Why? DO you want to woo her?"

A blush covered Runo's face as she just stood there; she had no voice to respond.

"That's enough Julie. Why do you always insist on embarrassing me?" exclaimed the prince.

"It's a great pastime." She said as she left the room.

"Blue…It's a very unique hair colour." said Shun in an attempt to start a conversation.

Runo shrugged a bit then she took a pen and paper and conveyed the message that her name was Runo and that she was mute.

Shun nodded. "I am Shun."

Just then a messenger reached the place. "Uh Sire, you have visitors from some far off land."

Shun raised an eyebrow. "You don't say?" he turned to Runo. "I am sorry please excuse me."

***~~X~~***

Billy, Shun's second in commanded received Dan and Alice happily and offered them quarters to stay in.

"I didn't think it would be this easy to infiltrate this place." whispered Alice to Dan.

"That's the magic of the genie for you." He said winking.

Shun soon came to welcome Dan and Julie had come to escort Alice to the garden.

Strangely enough Julie had fetched Alice just before Shun entered the room and thus they didn't get to meet.

Alice thought that it was probably for the best. Now that she actually thought about it what excuse would she use? Could she tell him that she was royalty in disguise when she was on the street?

Alice really enjoyed this laid back life. She remembered what Dan had told her, they would only stay in the palace for one week or so to check the place out. And thereafter they would hatch another plan.

Alice had agreed to Dan's decision.

***~~X~~***

That evening Dan was wandering around. And as luck would have it he ran into the blue-haired 'princess' who wore twin-tails.

A faint smile appeared on his face as he approached her.

"Beautiful sunset isn't it?" he spoke up.

Runo was startled a bit as she turned towards him. But then she settled down as she recognized him as Shun's guest.

She curtseyed, she didn't know why; but she was smiling very brightly indeed…

"Greetings...I am Daniel…And you are?"

He waited for a reply. Runo just gazed at him, then gestured him to wait and started searching through her bag for her pen and paper.

'My name is Runo…I am sorry for not being to reply directly to you but unfortunately I am mute.' She wrote.

Dan looked at the paper then at Runo's face. "I see." But the fact that she was mute didn't diminish his curiosity. "SO are you the prince's fiancée?" he questioned cautiously.

Runo blushed. 'No, I am not!' she wrote and held the paper in front of Dan. She looked slightly offended as she did so.

A little laugh escaped Dan's lips. He looked at the sky and out of the corner of his eye he looked at Runo.

'Why are you laughing?' her paper read.

Dan shook his head from side to side. "It's nothing."

She pouted slightly.

"Hn…You should meet my friend, she came with me…You'll like her."

'How do you know that?'

"I just have a hunch." He told Runo with a smile still on his face. Runo blushed a little…She had no idea why all this was happening. Why was she so flustered? Why couldn't she think straight?

She was half glad she didn't have her voice. If she had then she would probably have embarrassed herself in front of Daniel.

She closed her eyes and listened to the faint echo of a melodious song.

"Hey."

She opened her eyes and was startled to see Dan right in front of her, with his hand outstretched. "Care to dance, miss?"

She could feel a blush on her face. But she ignored it and nodded. She took hold of Dan's hand and swayed in tune to the melody.

He led the dance flawlessly. She stepped on his feet a couple of times. And every time she'd look guilty like there was no tomorrow.

"Now why do you look so gloomy, fair princess?" he asked.

She avoided his gaze as she was too embarrassed at her clumsiness.

"Princess…When a little beautiful bird perches on a tree; do you think that it hurts the huge tree? On the contrary, the tree would be honored that the sweet bird chose that particular branch to step on amidst all the others." Dan said charmingly.

Ace, the genie was listening to all this sitting on a couch. "When did that guy get so intellectually romantic?"

Runo could feel a very heavy blush on her face. They had stopped dancing now and she held a piece of paper in front of him.

'Those words were poetic. That's the first time I've heard words such as this spoken without ambiguous intentions. You are sincere…And that I can tell just by looking at you. Strange isn't it?'

Now it was Dan's turn to be taken aback. He smiled at her. "Tell me…Would you dance with me again if given the chance?"

'With pleasure, Sire.'

Dan's eyes widened as he read the word 'Sire'. That's right, the reason she even interacted with him was because she thought that he was someone of royal status… He sighed as he looked at the blue sky. That was another thing. Runo's hair was blue…Now, every time he looked at the sky he would be reminded of her.

Runo held his hand and showed a paper in front of his eyes. 'You seem deep in thought. Is something bothering you?"

Dan was taken by surprise. His heartbeat quickened as he felt Runo's hand on his.

"No, it's nothing princess…"

Runo withdrew her hand and looked down at the ground with a disappointed look… What was she doing? She was on land…This was not where she belonged…But she couldn't stop this sudden rush of emotions.

Was it possible for a mermaid to fall in love with a human being? Wasn't that just an old folk-tale that was supposed to stop kid mermaids from wandering too far from home?

She gulped as she listened to the speeding rate of her heart.

"Runo-"

But he stopped short; he had no idea what he was to tell her.

'…Sire, I'd better get going now. Miss Julie is probably looking all over for me.'

He nodded at the bit of paper. "Alright then…"

And with that, Runo left him. He stared after her deep in thought...

'_She will be disgusted if she knows that I am a street-rat'._ Thought Dan.

'_He will be appalled if he knows that I am a mermaid.' _Thought Runo.

'_But…What if I hid my past and left it behind? Would I be accepted?' _they both thought in unison.

**Thanks to all of you for your support and for reading my story and for giving me your valuable viewpoints…Do continue to support me and all the other authors out there :)**

**All your encouragement can really build up a girl's morale…I use the term 'girl' because I am writing this in my P.O.V and if you haven't figured it out yet, I am a girl. LOLz.**

**Anyways, thank you guys…and before I forget.**

**Please REVIEW.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Aloha! Arisu here. I'm sorry for the delay…Thank you for reading thus far.**

**On with the story.**

**One Fairy Tale Too Many**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 6**

Alice was wandering around. It was nice just to do nothing once in a while. Normally she would be working herself to death for her foster mother.  
The first day she made great friends with Julie. Alice really wanted to see this blue-haired princess Dan was so set on meeting. But as luck would have it she bumped into someone she wasn't quite ready to meet.

And she literally 'bumped' into him.

"I am sorry." She apologized.

The person before her gaped as he recognized her. "Alice!" he gasped.

Alice was taken by surprise. "Y…your majesty!"

Shun's face lit up as he saw her. And he was entranced by her beauty. "You…you look exquisite…"

"Exquisite!" she repeated bringing her hand to her rapidly beating heart as her face turned the brightest most cutest shade of red.

"Would you rather I rephrased that? You look spectacular."

Her blush deepened. "D...Don't say that…there is nothing 'spectacular' about how I look." She stuttered.

He smiled at her reaction. This girl was just too adorable for words. But then, reality dawned upon him.

"Wait Alice…What are you doing here?"

"I…I came here with a friend." She explained hurriedly… "I came with Prince Daniel."

"Ah. So you are the one…" Shun then spent a considerable time deliberating and finally decided to voice out his question. "Are you and he betrothed?"

"Uh not really."

Shun couldn't help but feel an emotion that strangely resembled relief. "That's good." He muttered involuntarily.

Luckily for him Alice did not hear it.

That evening Alice and Dan met up and told one another of the latest happenings. When Dan heard Alice's story he burst out laughing."

Alice gazed at him. "What….What is so amusing?"

"Alice…" he was still laughing. "You've developed some….'special' feelings for the prince."

"I have NOT."

Dan just stared at her accusatively. After about a minute's staring competition Alice finally gave in. "Okay, maybe just a 'little' bit."

Dan smiled widely. "Good luck then."

Alice's eyes widened… "You can't be serious!"

"Why not? You are beautiful, kind and modest. What more could a guy ask for?"

Alice's face dropped. "I am not royalty."

"Big deal….As far as HE knows; you **are** royalty…And remember we made a wish…"

"What about you then? Are you planning to go for Runo."

Dan felt a blush dusting his cheeks so turned his gaze away from Alice's eager brown orbs,. "Uh…yeah."

Alice smirked, now it was her turn to tease him. "I can't hear you."

"Yes."

"Still can't hear you."

"YES!" he shouted defensively. "Stop nagging me; girl."

"You shouldn't shout at ladies…Especially not when you are embarrassed." came a male voice from within the golden lamp.

"Shut up genie." snapped Dan.

Elsewhere a girl; a princess to be exact was standing in an exquisitely decorated room. She wore a yellow gown and her heel was tapping the tiled floor of the room impatiently.

She heard the squeak of a door as it opened and in walked a man with off-blonde hair.

The girl looked at him. "What is this important thing you had to tell me?" she asked. This princess was not the most patient person in the world.

His lips widened in a smile. "Some information that you'd love to hear princess…" he muttered.

He then spent a considerable time explaining stuff to the princess.

The princess smiled widely as she twirled her short black hair in her hand… "I see, so an Egg took away the prince's memory…An EGG! How absurd!"

"That's just the way the story goes." Answered the blonde.

The black haired princess was about to leave but then she turned towards him. "And why do you know all this? You are only a novelist after all."

The man –Joe- smirked as he laid his hand on the table and rested his chin on it. "That, my dear is classified information."

"Fine."

After she left, Joe stood up from his chair and walked over to what looked like a fish bowl. He lightly touched the surface of the water. "And now a new variable is added into the equation." He muttered; a hint of a chuckle in his voice.

The very next day there was a grand procession- with drums, horses and all those grand things. Shun stood at the doorway of the palace wondering what all this commotion was for.

Just then, a grand golden carriage pulled in and out of it emerged a girl in a golden yellow gown with short black hair emerged out of it…

Her face was lit up with an extremely self-confident smile.

Shun gazed at her and was baffled. Who was this girl?

She walked over to the prince and did a little courtesy. "Good day your majesty." She greeted in the sweetest voice she could muster.

"Uh…" Shun was speechless. "No offence, but May I know who you are?"

The princess took a deep breathe and started to start the act she was about to put on.

"My name is Fabia…"

"…" Shun didn't know what to reply. He had never heard that name before. Never.

"Oh my dearest lord….Tell me it's not true… Please don't tell me that you've forgotten me…Please do NOT tell me that the rumors are true." She cried putting on a flawless façade of shock and dejection.

Shun's golden eyes were wide with surprise…

"It is me, Fabia….The one you danced with on the night of your birthday…Did you not tell me that we were meant to be? Do you not remember that?"

Shun was puzzled…Was she really the one? Shun felt a sharp nudge on his shoulder.

Shun briefly glared at Billy before heading towards Fabia. "Uh…My memory is a bit fuzzy… I am deeply aggrieved for being unable to recognize you." He said; flashing the most charming smile he could muster.

But he couldn't help but notice how hard he worked to keep that smile pasted on his face… On the contrary, the two days he spent with Alice, he smiled almost involuntarily; it was the most natural thing ever.

But then, who was he to argue with destiny?…

Shun led Fabia into the main throne room and offered her a seat. Fabia was a dignified individual, or at least that was what her act conveyed.

Alice had finally met Runo. The two girls made fast friends. They had just met but it seemed like their friendship was something that was always meant to be.

Sure, Runo was mute but that did not affect them.

Alice and Runo were walking through the hallway when Alice stopped abruptly. Her face mirrored a strange blankness… Runo followed Alice's stare and then saw the 'thing' that must have upset her.

Alice was looking at Shun and he was talking with Fabia. Someone had to entertain Fabia and Billy was too busy to do anything and as a result Shun was stuck trying to amuse her with various tales.

It was exhausting.

And then as if a moth drawn to a flame Shun's gaze fell on Alice…

His golden eyes widened –with a hint of regret in them- as they met Alice's chocolate orbs.

Alice felt a pang of what seemed like jealousy flood her heart. Dan was right; she was starting to develop 'special' feelings towards the prince. She bowed a little and then hurried away before Shun could react.

Fabia was puzzled; the only thing that she noticed was that Shun seemed distracted. She didn't even see Alice or Runo… In her mind she was confident that Shun was entranced by her exceptional beauty.

(self-centered much?)

Runo followed Alice's hurrying footsteps. She would've called out to Alice and asked her to wait if she had a voice… And these feet, she hadn't got used to them yet. Then again, running in high heels **and** a flowing gown wasn't exactly something Runo had mastered yet.

Luckily for her, Alice stopped after a bit and Runo could just about reach her.

Runo was panting and sweat ran down her face… She was still tired but she took out her notebook and scribbled something on it and held the paper in front of Alice's face.

'What was all that about?'

Alice stared at the paper and then at Runo. "I am sorry Runo; I did not mean to worry you…"

Runo pouted at her and wrote something again. 'Answer the question.'

Alice face dropped. "Truth is…" a lone sigh escaped her lips. "I am not that sure myself…"

Runo decided to drop the subject, for now.

Later that evening Alice was standing on the balcony gazing vacantly at the fountain in the middle of the garden. Some maids passed her and she heard their whispers.

"Did you hear? That short black-haired princess is going to be prince Kazami's bride?" whispered one of them.

"I know…The prince is finally accepting a fiancée. He refused to see all the others thus far."

Alice's depression deepened further, so much so that she didn't hear the next statement.

"But nothing's official though."

After about twenty minutes of dwelling in a meaningless Trans she snapped out of it.

"_What is wrong with me? Why am I getting so….so…so melancholic? And what is this horrible feeling? Ah never mind…I must get over it….They; Shun and her__.__ They're betrothed… I must be happy for Shun that he found someone amazing for himself…And I myself have only met him a few days ago…I…I don't know the first thing about him… And-'_

Her thoughts were cut short as she sensed someone else beside her. She was startled as she saw Shun standing beside her. He had his elbow rested on the railing and his chin on his palm… His eyes also had a distant expression in them.

"Do you mind if I join you?" he asked.

She could feel her heartbeat quicken its pace… "Of course not, it is your castle after all." she answered.

He smiled at her, but it disappeared after a second or two. He could not comprehend the confusion in his heart. What was all this about? "I need your advice." He muttered without thinking twice about it.

Alice nodded indicating that it was alright.

And then silence; a dreary silence hung over the atmosphere…

**Alright, so another chapter done…**

**Tell me what you think alright? .I am so stressed out right now. **

**I'm juggling so many things right now, what with exams one after another and my studies and my anime-watching AND writing and coming up with story ideas I am so drained.**

**Please REVIEW guys… Please do.**

**Peace!**


	7. Chapter 7

**One Fairy Tale Too Many**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 7**

"I need your advice." He muttered as a distant expression flooded his eyes.

Alice nodded, indicating that it was alright.

A dreary silence hung over the atmosphere. All this was so confusing…

"Alice… If you were to choose between two things- your heart and destiny…What would it be?" he asked.

Alice was silent for a bit. This advice that he wanted turned out to be more profound than she had thought. She pondered for a few seconds before answering. "Well, in the way I see it… Destiny is something that is envisioned by one's heart… It is the path we _choose_ to tread upon that sets us apart from all the rest. And so; in the end, the alternative comes down to what makes you happy and content." She told him.

Shun smiled as he gazed towards the sky. "I see…That's a pretty good way to look at things." He said.

"I do not mean to intrude…But, may I know the objective of your enquiry?" she asked, wondering if she was overstepping her welcome. He was the prince of the whole kingdom after all; and she, only a commoner!

Shun turned to look at her. "There is no need to be his formal when you are talking to me." He said as a bright smile lit up his face.

Alice couldn't help but admire how handsome the prince looked when he smiled.

"And the reason for my question-" he bowed a little as took Alice's arm and pulled it towards his face. "I will tell you later…" He said as he placed a gentle kiss on the back of her hand.

Alice blushed heavily at his action; her heart kept beating rapidly.

He then looked deep into her eyes. "Let me take your leave then….Alice." he said with another bow.

Alice curtseyed to him, still blushing… She watched from the corner of her eyes as Shun disappeared round the corner. She brought the hand Shun had kissed to where her heart was as listened to its hasty rhythm. "Oh my lord!" she whispered to herself.

Meanwhile; in the garden which was at the opposite end of the palace sat Runo. She was sitting on an exquisite little swing and was lightly swinging to and fro without putting much effort into her actions.

"It must be tiresome, sitting here all by yourself…" came a male voice from behind her.

Runo was so taken by surprise that she almost fell off the swing but was held steady by a strong pair of arms.

"Whoa, I didn't mean to scare you." the voice said.

Runo turned around half-annoyed, but then her face softened as she saw that the person who had saved her was Daniel. A slight blush dusted her cheeks. His wide smile was always enough to make her all warm inside…

"So…" Dan could think of nothing to tell say to her. But soon his face brightened up. "Do you want me to push you?" he asked.

Runo's aqua-marine eyes widened as she considered his offer… And then she smiled as she nodded at him.

"Alright then, here goes…" and with that, he pushed her with his strong arms and the swing went flying forwards. The wind swished by so fast and she felt almost as if she were flying. She held onto both the bars of the swing as tightly as she could, as the smile on her face widened. She laughed happily.

No sound escaped her throat. But it was clear to see from her face that she was thoroughly enjoying herself…

The swing moved to and fro and slowly oscillated to a stop. Runo got off it and turned towards Dan and smiled at him. She searched for her piece of paper but she couldn't see it anywhere. She searched in her sash, but it was missing…

Dan watched half-amusedly as Runo was completely engrossed in her search… It took him a little while to actually realize what she was searching for.

"Looking for your notebook?" he asked.

She nodded amidst the searching.

"OH!" exclaimed Dan. "You're looking for the book so that you can thank me for the swing ride."

Runo turned her face towards him and nodded slowly.

"You are **silly**, you know. You don't have to thank me for something so…trivial." He said with a small chuckle.

Runo pouted. '_Sure, blame me for trying to be grateful!' _she thought to herself, blushing.

"I didn't mean to offend you…" said Dan, then he smirked. "You can stop pouting_ and_ blushing…It's contradictory." He pointed out as he brought his face slightly closer to hers.

Runo's face heated up, and it seemed as if steam was rising from her head. She was so embarrassed that she struck Dan on the shoulder to divert his attention.

Dan was taken aback… He raised an eyebrow at her.

Runo was suddenly conscious of the fact that she had just hit a 'prince'. She gulped and glanced at Dan apologetically, hoping that he wouldn't hold it against her.

And then Dan's lips parted and his laughter echoed through the garden.

Runo watched wide-eyed, she was relieved that Dan did not feel offended in the slightest. (At least, that's what it looked like from where she stood.)

"Quite the feisty one, aren't you?" he asked, looking into her eyes with his deep brown ones.

She broke his gaze as she felt her heart beating madly… Why was this happening? Why was she embarrassed? Only time would tell.

Mira was meanwhile on a cherry tree. She was a Fairy Godmother so no one could see her unless she willed it so… She gazed towards the sky in melancholy as the wind blew steadily carrying with it a trail of sakura petals… She reached out her hand towards the sky. She parted her lips. "If only…If only I could have also _chosen_ my destiny…" she muttered to herself. "Then, I wouldn't be here all alone, by my lonesome self... And _you_ wouldn't be trapped in that wretched lamp having to obey the orders of a mere mortal."

Joe sat in a room that resembled a study. The tables were huge and made of oak. In front of him lay a piece of parchment. He had a quill in his hand and he dipped it into this queer moss-green liquid.

And he started writing some words on it.

'_They believed that they were the masters of their lives; a naïve notion indeed. Their fate was already sealed right from the second of their birth, and how were they to alter divine will?_

_They are not to know the adversity of the path that lies ahead until they meet with it._

_Yet they tread on with pathetic and pointless optimism. They do not realize that all this supposed 'happiness' they feel is but a mere respite before they face the tempest that lies ahead._

_The stormy sea roars in the perpetual cycle of time and the jagged edges of the rocks wait hungrily for a ship to disintegrate on its razor-sharp edges… Thus is the truth of life.'_

Joe gazed at what he had written. "That's right." He muttered as he stood up and walked over to his little fountain.

He dropped the paper into it and watched as it sank to the bottom and joined the other pieces of paper within it.

Strangely enough, the writings on the paper did not get wet and it remained preserved.

Each one of the papers had writing on it.

'_The forlorn mermaid was given a chance to renew her life and to start afresh. She was given legs by a mysterious man. It is said to never trust strangers who appear out of nowhere… The mermaid is someone with a slight violent streak. She jumps to conclusions almost immediately, and that is what will ruin her. _

_The mermaid has also during the passage of time encountered a 'prince'. A prince who appears to have stolen her heart… _

_And this 'prince' is nothing but a street-urchin who is in possession of a genie. This street prince is caring and benevolent. He is very hospitable and always wishes to help others and that shall be his downfall.'_

'_There also lives another prince; the __**actual**__ prince of the kingdom. The one who finds himself caught in between responsibility and happiness. He is trapped; he oscillates between whether to accept what he anticipates is his destiny or to seek out his own path… He is unaware of the lies that are being thrown to him. He is unaware that the two 'princesses' that he have to choose from are BOTH lying. One, on selfish grounds. This black haired princess is the epitome of greed and will do anything to get her way, including murder. And the other 'princess'; the more honest one. The one who is shy to speak her mind openly hides her true identity and that she is not really a 'princess.' This girl who has soft brown eyes, perhaps she herself is too soft to behold the reality of this vile world. And soon, it is this hesitation and innocence that will lead her to ruin.'_

'_And then there are the spirits…. One a genie; and the other a general Fairy Godmother…'_

**That concludes this chapter… Alright, so I am sure there are many questions that are revolving in your mind as of this point. And this will be explained in due course.**

**The next chapter will mainly focus on Mira and her past. You want to know her story too, right? After all, fairy Godmothers have lives too….**

**Please REVIEW Kay?**

**Peace out!**


	8. Chapter 8

**One Fairy Tale Too Many**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 8**

**Mira And Ace**

Mira was the princess of the spirit world… And thus, she lived a lonesome life endorsed with heavy etiquette and stern instruction… 'Do this', 'Don't do that', 'Do **not** do as you please'…

"Freedom." Was not a word that was permitted in her dictionary. And the ability to "choose" was virtually non-existent. Perhaps if she were born a prince she would be treated less strictly … But as luck would have it, she was the only female child among her ten siblings. And so, you can only imagine how hard life was for her to burden all the responsibility of being the lady of the house.

Her smile was a rare sight and half the time it was forced out of politeness.

She felt like a bird enclosed in a cage of thorns… The thorns of dependability and honour of family had trapped her in its wretched clutches.

That was, until she met this young man…That was until she met Ace Grit.

The first time she had seen him was when her eldest brother had returned from one of his hunting expeditions.

Mira's brother dismounted the horse and smiled at her. "We've successfully captured a unicorn…" he declared. "Would you like to see it, Mira?" he asked.

Mira nodded in anticipation. She followed her brother to the stables and there stood the pure white unicorn that had majestic wings and a bright and sharp horn on its forehead. There was also a man beside the horse. He had mint-green hair and mysterious grey eyes. He was one of the royal guards, or so she assumed.

A messenger entered. "Young prince, The King wishes to speak to you." he said.

The prince sighed and turned to Mira. "I should go before father throws a tantrum or something." and then he turned to the mint-haired guy. "And Ace, if you don't mind please feed the unicorn."

"Yes your majesty." said Ace nodding his head.

Mira just stood there at the doorway of the stable. She watched in wonder as Ace stroked the unicorn's head gently. Mira had no idea why her heart was beating so madly. He wasn't even looking at her; perhaps she was afraid of the unicorn? No the latter was extremely unlikely.

Her mind unconsciously probed for some subject she could use to open a conversation with.

"How…Did you tame the unicorn?" she asked and then realized how foolish that must have sounded.

For the first time Ace turned his attention to her. He hadn't expected her to still be there.

He smiled politely realizing that she was the princess. "The unicorn is not tamed; your majesty. She lets me pet her solely because it is her will. Perhaps it is a matter of compatibility."

She nodded. And as she watched on she realized that the unicorn wasn't the only thing that had instantaneously captured her attention/adoration.

Over the week she continued to visit the unicorn everyday and subsequently got close enough to be able to pet her on the head like Ace had done.

To her utter dismay she never bumped into Ace again.

Sure, she saw him from her balcony. He was indeed a royal guard as she had suspected; and he was exceptionally talented as well. Mira noticed that her brothers sometimes used Ace as a sparring partner and **always** lost to him.

One day she was watching him like she always did. Ace had just defeated her eldest brother and was walking away. He then stopped in his tracks. Mira was on her balcony and was too far to see the smile that tugged his lips. Ace then looked upwards in her direction and smiled warmly.

Mira gulped as her mind echoed the word 'busted'.

He waved lightly at her. Mira couldn't help but smile back at him. Her hand seemed to have a mind of it's own as she waved as well; blushing all the while.

Ace hesitated for a bit but it soon faded away. He pointed at her and then made a running action with his hand and then pointed to the spot right next to him.

Mira understood what he meant and then without even thinking twice about it, she nodded and started walking/running down the stairs of the palace.

Ace had been taken back. Not in a million years had he actually expected Mira to accept his invitation for a walk.

After about five minutes or so, Mira emerged out of the palace door. She smiled embarrassedly at him. Could what she had done be equivalent to the role of a stalker?

"Greetings your majesty. I believe I haven't introduced myself properly to you. I'm Ace Grit." He said with the most charming smile plastered on his face.

"My name is Mira…"

"I know that…You are the princess after all." he said with a brief chuckle.

"Uh…Yeah…" she muttered tearing her gaze away from his. Her face heated up as she felt Ace's gaze still fixated on her.

He had expected the princess to be stuck up and obnoxious like her brothers. He hadn't thought that she would be so…so…intriguing. "I take it that you've been watching me for quite a while now."

Her eyes widened in surprise. He noticed? She gulped as she nodded timidly.

"So…Can I know why?" he asked.

"No particular reason…" she answered as she brushed a lock of her hair out of her face. "I was…curious."

"Alright…" he said as he took two to three steps towards the garden. "Fancy a walk?"

Mira tilted her head as she considered his offer. "Sure." Saying this she joined him and the both of them made their way to the garden.

Watching her he realized just how innocent and child-like Mira was.

She met him often enough now and was no longer shy and timid around him. She realized that with Ace she could be herself. She didn't have to erect that pathetic façade which concealed her true feelings.

Sure, he teased her a lot and laughed at her naivety at times. But still that was something she could overlook. Because; he was the one who introduced her to the concept of spontaneity; and this freedom that he gave her was something she treasured, the understanding he gave her was something she adored.

And slowly, there came a point when Mira fell irrevocably in love with this royal guard. And he felt the same.

They were able to talk openly with one another and it was bliss. One day Mira was standing on one of the balconies on the first floor. She had a carrot in her hand. Why she had suddenly fancied a carrot she did not know.

She was about to bite into it when she spied Ace walking down the path.

"Psstt…" she made a soft hissing noise.

He gazed upwards and smiled as his gaze met hers.

She showed him the carrot. "Vitamin A. Want it?" she called out to him.

He shrugged at her. "Sure." He said as he held his hands forward.

Mira threw the carrot in his direction and to both their surprise the carrot started heading for his face. He caught it just in time. "You know princess…That thing could have poked my eyes and blinded me, for heaven's sake!" he exclaimed.

Mira stared at him, and in about a second or two the both of them started laughing.

"Thanks for the carrot attack." He called out before walking away.

The princess propped her elbow on the rail of the balcony and watched half-dreamily as he walked away.

The confession came quite suddenly one winter's day when Mira finally decided that it was make or break time. And strangely enough she received a positive response. When she told him of her feelings; he pulled her close and held her in a bear hug. That was the happiest day in Mira's life.

Things were perfect. They couldn't have got any better. Well, that was until the day Mira's father came to know of their little 'relationship'.

That was the day that **everything** fell apart.

The king was so enraged that he called Mira right to the throne room and started shouting at her. He would have lashed out at her had her brother not stopped him.

"You ungrateful little brat…Is this what I have raised you to do. Your impertinence knows no bounds…Are you not aware that you are the ONLY princess of this palace?. What are you planning on doing? Do you wish to elope with that wretched bastard?"

"Don't call Ace that!" she exclaimed.

"And what's more; I've heard that you even dared to kiss him!"

"I did **not** kiss him…" she defended almost immediately.

"Really?" her father yelled in a tone overflowing with mockery.

Mira's eyes narrowed. She really did not like the way her father saw himself as superior to all others. "That's right father…I did** not **kiss him…" she affirmed. "Although; I would very much have liked to."

"What did you say?" he fumed out.

"Do you wish for me to repeat it?" she asked, her face filling with a sudden confidence. "Well….**father**?"

That was the last straw; the King stood up from his throne… "So….you dare disobey me and now you are all proud of it; are you?" he asked. He then turned towards one of his guards. "Bring me Ace Grit." He ordered.

Mira's eyes widened in terror.

Ace was surprised at being tugged roughly to the throne room. He was pushed through the doors. He could guess exactly what had happened from Mira's distressed face.

The King walked over to Ace. "So…You're the one; are you?" saying this he pulled out his sword and pointed it at Ace's chest. "I sentence you to death…Right now." He declared.

"No…no…no. I was the one who did wrong. It's my fault…Father Stop…STOP!" Mira shrieked in terror.

Her father turned to face her daughter… "Oh, guess what? I have a better idea… You are to be exiled from the spirit world…" he said. "You will ne shackled and be condemned to live your life as a genie. You will become a menial servant to human-beings. And you will never be free again."

One of the guards brought the magic shackles.

Ace extended both his hands and welcomed the imprisonment without protest.

"Ace…What are you doing? Please; you're stronger than them. You can easily defeat them all if you tried. I know you can… I believe that you can…Please…"

Ace just looked in her direction solemnly. "If this is the price I must pay for falling in love with you. Then all I can do is welcome it."

Tears rolled down Mira's cheek as she heard his words. "No…." the guards held her back and she watched helplessly as her father bound Ace's arms with the chains. He then brought a golden lamp, cut off a few locks of Ace's green hair and placed it in the lamp. Ace's body started fluctuating; He became translucent and finally disappeared into a wisp of smoke.

"And now…you shall be entrapped on earth." The king took a staff and waved it around. A hole appeared on the floor and there was nothing but the blue void of the sky.

The King held the lamp which contained Ace right above the hole.

Mira gulped as she watched this…

And then the King let go of it.

"NO!" Mira yelled as she ran towards it. The guards tried to stop her but this sort of energy emanated from her body which electrocuted the guards. And then, she made a dive for it.

In the process she fell through the hole and in no time she was free-falling towards the Earth. She desperately extended her hand towards the lamp that contained her beloved. She stretched as far as she could and finally got hold of it. She held the lamp close to her as she continued to fall.

"I am so sorry…" she muttered to Ace as her hands trembled. "When I said what I said; I had no idea that you would be the one to bear the consequences…Please, I hope that you can find it within your heart to forgive me."

As the ground neared Mira closed her eyes and concentrated all her powers and stayed afloat just a few centimeters above the ground. She gazed at the lamp in distraction. She knew that there was no way that she could undo this spell.

More tears escaped her eyes and more sobs escaped her lips as she sank to her knees.

Unbeknownst to her, a maiden with long golden hair and fairy wings appeared beside her. "Do not fret young one." She said.

Mira opened her eyes in alarm and held the lamp defensively.

"Now listen carefully to what I say… I have to admit; I am not powerful enough to undo this spell completely…So, instead I will give you a boon…"

Mira listened intently to what this beautiful woman was saying. Would it be possible for her and Ace to be together after all?

"After this young man serves his 100th master as a genie he will be able to return back to the spirit world….So, now you may go back in peace and await his return."

Mira smiled gratefully. "Oh thank you…" then her expression transformed to a determined one. "But; I will **NOT** go back without him." She said.

The woman was amused at Mira's dedication. "And what exactly do you plan to do on the Earth?"

Mira locked eyes with the woman. "I will get a job." She said with a twinkle in her eyes. "Please… Make me a Fairy Godmother."

The woman couldn't hold back her smirk any longer. "Have it your way…But you only get minimum wage." She said.

Mira nodded. "I am prepared."

"Fine….here, take this." She said throwing a carrot in Mira's direction.

Mira looked at the vegetable in her hand and sighed.

**This **was the first spontaneous decision she had ever made in her life. And she made up her mind that she would not regret it.

Back in the present Ace's silent trance was broken by Dan's voice. Ace noticed the shaking lamp so he came out of it and looked at the brunette who stood before him.

"Have you thought of another wish Daniel?" he questioned raising an eyebrow.

Dan shook his head from side to side to indicate a 'no'. "I just felt a bit lonely…So I thought that some company would be nice." He said. "So I thought that even an obnoxious genie would do." He added seeing Ace's smug face.

"Whatever." said Ace as he settled upon a branch of the tree.

His attention wavered from what Dan was talking about. His gaze was transfixed on the black metal shackles that were bound to his wrists. He knew of what Mira was doing and he had tried to stop her but his efforts were in vain.

'_I wonder; do you feel lonely as well my princess?'_

He shook himself out of melancholy. The burden on his heart diminished as his eyes fell on Dan, his 100th master. After he had served Dan and given him 10 wishes he would be free.

Free to return to the spirit world with his princess. And this thought relentlessly brought a smile to his lips.

'_Wait for me…' _he thought to the heavens above.

**End of that chapter…**

**So, tell me what you think of Mira's story.**

**I know it was a bit vague and all but I had to fit it all in a single chapter which was a bit tiring I have to admit.**

**VERY IMPT PS:-: I am thinking about releasing another story. Tell me which title you think is better.**

**My Muddling Mirage.**

**My Mesmerizing Mirage.**


	9. Chapter 9

**One Fairy Tale Too Many**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 9**

**Confusions and Confessions.**

Runo and Dan had got really close in just one day. Sure, she was mute but it didn't make much of a difference. Presently Dan was looking at a landscape portrait that Runo had painted. He smiled. "It's amazing." He complemented her.

She smiled silently. As she retrieved the painting from Dan their hands touched. Normally it wouldn't stir one up too much. Runo abruptly let go and the painting was falling to the ground.

Dan caught it hurriedly. "Be more careful princess…" he said. "It could've been ruined by the mud."

Runo nodded sheepishly.

Dan hesitated for a bit. "Princess…" he figured that he had nothing to loose. The stirring in his heart told tale of his feelings. But, what if he was wrong? What if his perception of his emotions were incorrect? What if he was making a mistake? What if-

He stopped himself on this string of what ifs.

"I really like you…" he muttered. Her aquamarine eyes widened. Was he confessing love to her? Her heart was beating madly as she anticipated the oncoming confession.

"And I… well, how can I put this… I think that my liking for you is more than that of any friend's. I presume you have understood the essence of what I am saying."

Shakily she scribbled something on the piece of paper in her hand… She wrote something, why she wrote it- she did not know; it came as and instinct. 'I need time to think about this.' The paper read.

Dan felt his heart sink. He knew what this meant. She was just trying to ease the blow of rejection through an indirect approach.

"I see." He muttered in a low tone as his bangs hid the expression on his face. "I'll take your leave then your majesty."

And saying this he walked away. Gazing at his back Runo felt panic seize her. What had she done? Does this mean that he will remove himself from her life? No; that's not what she wanted.

She fought back her tears as she saw him disappear round the corner.

Alice had taken to wandering again. This time, she got half lost in the big maze of a garden.

She soon saw a little hill and climbed up to the top.

Shun was meanwhile walking past one of the windows of the palace when he spied a little cloud of orange near the hill. A smile tugged his lips as he recognized the owner of that mop of hair.

Involuntarily he found himself walking out of the door and towards the hill.

He soon spotted her on the top, standing amongst a path of flowers. For a second or two he just admired her and then walked over to her.

She was facing sideways, looking intently at a little bush as if trying to figure out what kind of bush it was. So she did not see him approaching her until he made his presence known by calling out her name. "Alice."

He hadn't expected that his voice would surprise her to such an extent that her leg would get caught on one of the twigs. And he also hadn't expected her to trip and fall down towards him.

However he was trained with split second reflexes so he caught her and prevented her from tumbling down the rest of the hill.

Alice was astounded as she felt Shun's arms on her shoulder, holding her steady. Her body collided with his and her face with his chest. Her heart-rate increased every millisecond.

Alice raised her face to look at the face of her savior. As she did so Shun's lips brushed against her nose. Her eyes widened and her blush deepened. She gulped as she stepped backwards. "F...Forgive me y...your majesty." She mumbled; grasping her nose gingerly...

Shun stuttered as well. "Y…you aren't hurt I hope."

She nodded sheepishly, avoiding Shun's gaze.

It took quite a while for the awkwardness to settle down... After it had, Alice voiced a question that had relentlessly bothered her for some time now.

"Your majesty…I hear you're finally getting married." She stated, masking the faint hurt in her voice.

She always knew that Shun was out of her league, but then, a girl's fantasies where always …Far-fetched.

"Wow, word sure gets around fast." He commented. "However, nothing's been finalized."

"Hm…" she agreed.

"Alice." He said. "I want to tell you something… A story in fact… Only my second-in-command Billy knows of this…"

"But then, why tell it to me?"

"It's strange; I really don't know why I have this urge to….But, will you listen all the same?"

Alice closed her eyes. Her pale hands clutched at the grass that was growing to the sides. "Very well…"

And then Shun told her everything, about meeting his fairy godmother, about what she had told him. Of his birthday party, of how he only remember that he danced with a girl who wore a purple dress, of how that big egg had wiped any other memory that he had retained of her. He also told her of how Fabia claimed to be **that girl**.

"I know, you must think I've gone mental. I mean, who would believe in fairy godmothers?" he sighed.

Alice had been listening to everything nonchalantly. "I believe you." she muttered as she looked at the sky, she was glad that he could not see her down-trodden face... "You must **marry** Fabia…She is your destiny." Alice's face wavered as she tried her best to keep her voice level.

"Just like that?" he questioned her. He wanted her to tell him that he had another choice. He wouldn't have minded if Alice presented herself as the alternative to marrying Fabia. But she didn't.

She only smiled. "I cannot answer such a question, your majesty."

He nodded as he concealed the stabbing feeling in his heart and she did the same.

That evening Dan propped down on a couch right next to Alice.

He ignored the stabbing feeling in his own heart and turned his attention to Alice. "So what's wrong?" he spoke up.

"Whatever gave you that idea Daniel?" she asked, playing the innocent act.

"Don't lie to me…I can read you like a book Alice."  
She sighed. "I… Never mind me."

He propped his elbow on his knee and rested his face on his hands. "Something happen today?" he asked, studying her face carefully.

"Dan, please stop….I don't want to lie to you."

"You can't tell me?" he asked. "Fine, I'll give you two options. 1- You tell me what's going on. 2- I make a wish and Ace tells me."

Her chocolate eyes widened. "You wouldn't do that. You wouldn't waste one of your wishes on somethi-"

"Watch me." He threatened as he took out Ace's lamp and rubbed it.

Ace smiled faintly. He found Dan's concern for others almost amusing. "As you wish master." He said.

"Wait!" Alice exclaimed. "I'll tell you. But you have to swear on your life that you won't tell another soul."

And then it was story telling time.

Dan's face drained of colour as he heard what Alice said.

"I really don't know what's wrong with me… I mean, I've only talked to the prince once or twice. I have no idea why I am getting all upset like this…It's pathetic." She said as tears ran down her cheeks. Alice bowed her head in shame at crying before him.

Dan watched at her sympathetically. He clenched his hand in a fist. "Fabia…She lied." He told Alice.

She still did not raise her face.

"You know, that girl who danced with Shun that night …That wasn't Fabia…"

Alice raised her head and looked at the brunette in confusion.

"It wasn't her, I assure you." he said looking at her, wanting to rekindle hope in her heart.

"How…how do you know for sure?" she questioned softly.

Dan closed his eyes and his eyebrows scrunched up as he seemed to be having a mental debate. In the end his longing to see Alice's smile won.

He took a deep breathe.

Ace, the genie sat right next to Alice and smiled widely. "No way…You can't be." He chuckled. "You are actually going to tell her the truth?"

"Don't nag me about it kay?" he yelled at Ace. "Well…" he gulped and then turned to Alice.

Alice's eyes widened. "Don't tell me that Fabia and you are a couple…or that the both of you were on a date that night." She exclaimed.

"Please Alice… Just hear me out alright." He begged as a heavy blush clouded his face. "It's not like this topic amuses me or anything…"

And then he began his narration.

"You see, it all began like this. I borrowed this sum of money from a very young and successful merchant but was unable to repay the debt in the given time so he set up a penalty." Explained Dan. "He said that I had to perform this **'task'** not paying the money on time…Well…As a consequence of the penalty-" Dan hesitated as his face went beet red.

Alice tilted her head to one side. "Well?"

"I…" he gulped. He really couldn't believe that he was revealing this embarrassing secret to someone. "I… was forced to…dress up as a girl and attend the prince's birthday ceremony…"

Alice's eyes widened as she gazed at Dan in disbelief. "You dressed up as a girl!" she exclaimed.

"Let the whole kingdom know, why don't you!" he muttered sarcastically.

"Sorry….I didn't mean to be that loud." apologized Alice as she shrank back into her seat.

Dan did not speak.  
"No, it's alright! I promise not to tell a soul…I'm sorry… Dan..." she said frantically. Dan was her only friend. Sure, Runo was also her friend now. But Dan was the only one she could trust.

"Apology accepted." He spoke.

"But I still don't understand the point of you telling me all this." She said.

Dan's mouth dropped open. "Wha? You want me to spell it out for you?"

Ace snickered as he spoke. "What he means is; **he** danced with the prince that night. The girl wasn't a real girl, it was Dan fulfilling Marucho's penalty."

It took a few seconds for Alice to actually register all this into her head and it took a few more seconds for her to actually believe what he said.

"No way!" she exclaimed.

Dan was now sitting down beside her with folded arms, a pout was on his blush-ridden face.

"But…Does that mean…" her eyes were wide. "**You** are the one Shun was destined to be with from birth!" she exclaimed with a rather somber expression on her face.

And Dan seamed to be freaked out as he paced up and down the room.

"No way…NO. What are you implying Alice? Eeew!"

"Shun was supposed to meet his one true love that night…And apparently the only new person he was introduced to."

Dan flopped back onto the seat. "That's just **ABSURD**."

And then their conversation was overtaken by silence.

Ace watched the duo nonchalantly. "Maybe the both of you should just forget about all this and just elope with one another."

Both their faces turned red instantaneously. What was Ace saying?

"Dan, you and Alice get along well. I think it would work well… You'd make a perfect couple. Why not stop chasing after the impossible and treasure what you have?" Ace was referring to Mira and himself as the example when he said this.

Dan and Alice both raised their heads and looked at one another at the exact same moment. Their faces mirrored confusion and deep blushes covered their cheeks.

They could not ignore the strange feeling at having been given this option.

Without further ado Dan placed both his hands on Alice's shoulders and Alice's blush intensified as she tried her best to avoid his gaze.

"Alice…Look at me." He whispered.

She timidly obeyed his request. Their brown eyes met and a few minutes worth of silence followed.

What was this feeling that quickened both their hearts?

"Dan…" she spoke. "Do…you feel confused as well?" she whispered. Suddenly the notion that she had misread her feelings for the prince was occurring to her.

He nodded in a daze.

"Does everything seem so…so complicated… So…" she paused searching for an adjective.

"Incomprehensible." He completed as he moved forwards and engulfed her in a warm embrace. Alice felt herself resign to the comfort he offered her.

"Don't worry…We'll figure things out." He reassured her in a comforting voice.

"I sure hope so." She whispered back. She was so surprised upon noticing that she had taken his hand and interlaced fingers.

After they parted they settled down again, trying to rewind, trying to put things back in its place again.

Ace gazed at the two had second thoughts. _'Perhaps I shouldn't have brought that up…It only seems to have upset them more.'_

**Alright…So, I am sure…Positive even that none of you guessed that the girl Shun danced with on his birthday was actually Dan in disguise. I am sure all of you anticipated it to be Alice. Some of you even asked me why Alice called Shun a freak on their first meeting.**

**Well, if you will recall I never ONCE mentioned that the girl was Alice, I never said that. The only thing I referred to were the girl's eyes. And if you've noticed, both Alice and Dan have brown eyes. Booyah!**

And for the DanxAlice scene. It couldn't be helped. I wanted more drama. Maybe even you my dear authors wanted more drama. And so here it is…

Hope you like it….Tell me what you think.

**And be honest, did you always perceive Alice was the one Shun danced with? And did your jaw drop open on realizing that DAN was the princess?**

**REVIEW PLEASE.**


	10. Chapter 10

**One Fairy Tale Too Many**

**cryst-mist**

Chapter 10

"That's it!" Dan exclaimed abruptly the next day. He was met by Alice's questioning gaze.

"You see….I was wearing this mask and this big hat while dancing with the prince. SO he probably only saw my eyes and we both have the same eye colour.." He explained but stopped noticing that Alice was stifling a giggle. She was probably imagining him in some hideous dress.

"Focus…" he instructed her firmly. And then he told her every single occurrence of the party including the forgotten glass slipper. "Now… you can get Fabia back…You can tell the prince all of this…and then you can live happily ever after with him."

"Wait! You want me to **pretend** that** I** was… you!" she said, disbelief evident in her voice.

"Exactly."

"I…I can't do that." Alice stuttered.

Dan's lips were pulled in a taut line. "Then you will have to stand by and watch as Shun slips through your fingertips." Dan knew that he was being cruel saying that. But he knew that Alice wouldn't do this if it weren't for a strong push.

Alice considered. "I…Alright then…" she said and walked away without another word.

Dan rubbed his lamp and Ace appeared before him. "I'd like to make another wish." he told the genie.

"Yes?"

"Return to Shun all the memories of his birthday party." Instructed Dan. His face set in a serious expression.

Ace's mouth dropped open. "Wait! You were the one who asked me to remove those memories in the first place…That's why I made that HUGE egg drop out of nowhere."

"I know…I know…" muttered Dan impatiently. He knew that he was wasting yet another one of his wishes.

"Are you sure? This is your eight wish. You only get two more."

Dan nodded; he was still disappointed that Runo had rejected him. But he wanted Alice to live a happy life if he could help it.

Ace smiled silently and granted his wish. Shun immediately felt like something was exploding within his brain. He crouched down, clutching both sides of his head.

And just like that he remembered everything. He blinked a few times…. He remembered everything, that strange experience of meeting **that **girl, her vivid brown eyes, her mask, her gown….wait, brown eyes!

Fabia's eyes weren't brown, were they? And the things he remembered did not remotely match the description Fabia had given him. He found himself rushing into the parlor where he was positive to find Fabia.

Shun walked up to her with the fakest smile plastered on his face. But then, it disappeared almost instantaneously. Her eyes were definitely not brown, they were (_insert Fabia's eye colour…I haven't watched Gundalian Invaders let alone seen Fabia…I just felt like making her one of the villains.) _The moment he noticed this he slammed his fist on the ornately decorated table. Fabia was taken by surprise. "What's wrong my lord?" she questioned in a sugary voice.

"Never you mind." Shun thundered as he stormed out of the room.

And as if by lightning, something struck him… A pair of soft, kind brown eyes came distinctly into his memory. His mind was probing on the owner of those brown eyes. Alice… He remembered how distraught her face looked when he told her about Fabia. And then his brain reached the most far-fetched conclusion. _'Could Alice be __**her**__?'_

And then who else should he come face to face with other than Alice.

He found himself rushing over to her half-frantically.

Alice hadn't expected to find Shun this fast. She was actually hoping to get some time to think things through….And this was totally unexpected.

"Good Evening." He greeted her.

She nodded, smiling a distant smile.

"Tell me…When was the first time you ever saw me?" he questioned.

She was surprised by his question. "Uh...At your birthday party, your majesty." She answered. It was perfectly true; she had seen Shun standing on the podium from afar.

Shun's face brightened up as he put his hands on Alice's either shoulder. "Was it you then? That girl who danced with me that night?" he asked her eagerly.

A blush dusted Alice's cheeks. All she had to say was one word… Just one word –Yes. That would do the trick. "Why…why do you ask me this all of a sudden, Sire?" she questioned.

"You see…Fabia…She was lying to me." stated Shun. His face was flooded with bitter resentment.

"I…." Alice opened her mouth but then closed it again in hesitation.

"Please Alice…Tell me, it **was** you, wasn't it?" he asked, now a bit impatient.

Alice's throat went dry as she nodded at him. Seeing her nod this intense happiness/relief flooded Shun's features.

He encircled his arms around Alice's waist and pulled her close to him. Alice's breathe hitched in her throat as the blush on her face deepened. She would have cherished this memory if it weren't for the gnawing guilt that she felt.

Shun caressed her face. "Why didn't you tell me sooner then?" he asked gently.

Alice was taken aback by the stark affection on the prince's face and she was unable to answer his query.

He chuckled a little; Alice had never ceased to amuse him. "And one more thing…" he whispered. He put his hand under her chin and pulled her face up so that she was looking directly at him. "Do you really think I'm a freak?"

She shook her head from side to side. The confused/embarrassed expression on her face wavered as the guilt slowly consumed her. But then, to be with Shun like this…No, she couldn't throw it all away. She knew that she could never forget or even begin to forget that ecstatic feeling.

"That's good to know." Said Shun… "Thank you." he whispered as their faces drifted closer to one another.

As their lips were mere centimeters apart Alice reflected on Shun's words. 'Thank you!' for what though? He was thankful? But **she** was lying …. She was a fraud.

Right before their lips made contact Shun felt something on his face.

Alice had clasped her hand on Shun's lips. She shook her head from side to side as tears flowed down her cheeks.

Shun's golden eyes widened in alarm. "I'm sorry…" came Shun's muffled voice.

Alice immediately removed her hand from his face and freed herself from Shun's now weak grip. She took a step backwards. Her hand was on the base of her neck as she tried to calm down her madly beating heart.

"I…I'm sorry Alice…I took things a bit too far too fast…I did not consider your feeling on the matter…Please, I only hope you will forgive m-"  
Alice did not hear half of what Shun was saying, her head, her conscience was spiraling. She had never felt so disgusted with herself… She had lied to Shun, and now he was standing in front of her apologizing. He thought that **he** was the one who did something wrong.

More tears rolled down her pale cheeks.

"Alice…I…Please forgive me…"

Alice fought to find her voice. "It's…'s not that." She stammered weakly. "I…" her voice cracked. "Please excuse me." She begged as she shakily walked away.

Shun held onto her hand. "Are you in love with Daniel? Please just tell me that one thing."

Alice's chocolate eyes widened as she weakly pulled her hand out of Shun's grip. "It's not that…" she gulped. "I couldn't…I just couldn't go through with it!" she half-shouted.

"With what?"

"I was LYING; my lord." she half-shouted. Her shoulder slumped down as more tears escaped her eyelids. "I **lied**…just like….Fabia did. I tried to take advantage of you." she admitted, now crying bitterly.

Shun's expression was set in surprise, but then he realized what just happened and his face immediately darkened. "You… Alice…you were lying?" he asked, his voice drained of joy.

She could only nod.

"But WHY would you do that to me!" he exclaimed exasperatedly.

"I…"

"Alice…I never expected YOU to stoop to that level…And to think that I…" he did not speak anymore as he glared at her. "I feel….appalled to think that I ever trusted you with all my heart." He spoke harshly with cold eyes. He then walked away.

Alice stood there. She brought her palm to her forehead and clutched at her fringe as she sobbed.

That evening Dan was searching for Alice, he reached her door and knocked at it. No answer came so he took the liberty of opening it himself. The room was empty; he then remembered the little garden behind the fountain where Alice would normally go to. He had this queer feeling that he would find her there.

And sure enough there she was, sitting on the luscious green grass, crying.

Dan's brown eyes widened as he rushed over to Alice. "What happened?" he asked as he crouched down beside her.

She shook her head from side to side.

"Alice…Don't lie to me." He muttered warningly.

She lunged forwards and laid her face on his chest, she clung onto him desperately as she continued crying.

Dan gently stroked her hair. "What happened?" he repeated his question.

Alice related what happened from amidst her constant sobs.

"I couldn't….HOW could I lie to him? How could I deceive him so effortlessly like that! How could I betray him?" she wailed in vain. "He said he was disgusted at me…"

Dan sighed heavily. "I should've known that you wouldn't be able to lie like that…." He muttered. "I'm sorry…I shouldn't have suggested it…I just thought that the both of you could…"

"Don't…"she said. "Don't apologize."

After about ten minutes or so Alice had thoroughly calmed down.

Runo was meanwhile going through a lot of emotional stress… What would she do? Dan had indirectly confessed to her and she did not react…She said that she needed time to think…About what though? What was there to think? She knew/suspected that she was in love with him.

But then, there was this minor drawback…Not only was she a mute but a mermaid by birth. Should she return home to the vivid ocean or just start a new life here with Dan?

But then he was a prince….well…In the end she ended up scolding herself rigorously as she ran, she ran despite her gown and high heels. She ran in a hope that she would find Dan. She pushed all logic to the back of her mind.

She felt the tip of the shoe slightly cutting into her toe but she paid no heed to that.

'_I will lead you to him'_ came a mysterious voice.

Runo looked around and was surprised to fine a talking raven. The raven started flying and she mindlessly followed her. After all, never look a gift horse in its mouth.

And then the raven perched on a tree. Runo found herself standing amidst some extra leafy bushes. She pushed them aside and tried getting out. Her face was the first to emerge and then all efforts ceased.

Her aquamarine eyes widened as she saw Dan standing on the grass with Alice in his arms.

Runo watched as Dan languidly brushed a few strands of hair behind Alice's ear. He also had this affectionate, compassionate look on his face.

Runo felt her heart shatter into tiny little bits… '_So…He was only playing with me…' _she thought to herself as she clenched her fists.

She couldn't really hear what Dan was saying though.

"Alice…I am so sorry, it's my fault that you are going through all this… Can you forgive me?"

"Of course…Why wouldn't I?"

Dan smiled at Alice. "I wonder why Runo didn't like me though…Was I a bit too sudden?"

Alice considered for a bit. "Maybe because she hadn't expected it…Maybe she wasn't able to react."

"Hm...possible." nodded Dan.

By now, they were sure that they were definitely not in love with one another. Yesterday's occurrences were just misconceptions.

Just then a sneeze echoed through the clearing.

"Bless you." said Dan.

"That wasn't me…" whispered Alice as she gazed into the bushes in front of them.

"Who's there?" called out Dan as he walked over to the bushes. As he parted the leaves he was met with an extremely unexpected sight. Runo was sitting on the ground, her gown flowing about gracefully. There were tears in her eyes and her face had a betrayed look on it.

"Princess! What are you doing here?" asked Dan, still in a daze.

Runo stumbled back to her feet, her hand trembling and her lips quivering as she stifled her tears.

Alice rushed over to her. "Runo, what happened? Why are you crying?" questioned Alice placing her hand on Runo's.

Runo shook it away roughly and pushed Alice away from her. If she had a voice, she would have screamed at Dan.

The raven opened it's mouth. "Allow me to translate." It cawed. For the moment no one questioned the talking bird, they just listened to it's words in alarm.

"Daniel, you traitor! You said you loved me…You said that didn't you? And now you are here with Alice… And I… I'm a fool for believing your words…You know I couldn't sleep all of yesterday because of the impact of your words..." spoke the raven.

Dan looked at Runo's fuming face and at once realized that the raven was indeed voicing her thoughts.

"Please, listen to me… There is nothing like that between Alice and I…We are just friends."

"I DON'T want to hear any of it…." Spoke the raven once again… "I can't believe….that I loved such a fraud."

Runo looked at the raven in alarm… She couldn't believe that it actually said that and Dan looked star struck.

Runo took his distraction as an advantage and ran away. She ran as fast as she could. Why was it that the mermaid who had lived her entire life without legs was forced to run so much and so fast?

Dan was about to take off after her but then the raven flew down the tree and started pecking at his head.

"Leave her to self-destruct alone." commanded the raven as he continued to peck at Dan.

Dan waved his hands wildly as he tried to knock the bird off balance. He could only briefly see Runo's figure disappearing.

Alice had found a log of wood lying around in the thicket. She took it in her hand and then concentrated. She whacked the raven to the ground. She felt sorry for hurting a talking animal like this, but then that hurt look in Runo's eyes haunted her.

"Thank you Alice…" said Dan as he squeezed her hand. "I have to get going now."

Alice nodded as she smiled. "GO get her…" she said encouragingly.

And so he started running.

He had no idea of what Runo was doing.

Runo continued running as more tears escaped her eyes. She had never felt so crushed in all her life… She felt as if her life had lost all meaning… Her brain had never before been so confusedly tormented.

And then she made the decision almost mechanically. She made her way to the beach and then to the edge of a cliff.

She reached into her pocket and withdrew the bottle of orange liquid that Joe had given to her.

She spent a few seconds just staring disgustedly at the uninviting luminous liquid, and without hesitating anymore she emptied it down her throat.

One more she felt pain flood her legs and throat. She could feel the transformation occurring. But this time it was more painful and for some reason her back was also hurting like hell. And then, the pain caused her to loose consciousness.

When Runo finally regained consciousness about an hour later she was about to jump back into the sea when she noticed something disturbing. She had not regained her beautiful tail; instead her feet were still there.

She saw this massive greenish thing near her and in it she saw her reflection. She looked the same as before but now she had a pair of fairy wings!

It was then that she realized what that reflecting green thing was…It was a bit of glass from a broken bottle. Not only was she given wings but she was shrunken to the size of a thumb. She had regained her voice though.

"Joe… What is this? A practical joke!" she shrieked into the salty air of the beach.

**That's it for this chapter…**

**Alright, so how was it? It was long, that I admit… Hm what else? I think that I am running a brief fever. I could feel a headache penetrating my forehead as I wrote this down so I apologize in advance for any mistakes…**

**I hope you understand..Thankyou.**

**And please do leave a review.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey guys I am back with another chapter… Huh! Alright…So all have to tell you at the beginning is that this chapter includes a LOT of location jumps…That's right, this chapter oscillates from character to character and explains their mental state more or less. This chapter focuses mostly on Shun and Alice.**

**Hope you like it and I would very much appreciate feedback.**

**One Fairy Tale Too Many**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 11**

**Lament**

Great!Runo's life was just awesome now! Now, she had to master using these 'things' on her back… And the wings proved more difficult to control than the legs she had acquired about two weeks ago.

She knew that if she walked with those tiny legs of hers she would reach nowhere. Every time she flew, she felt wobbly and ended back on the ground. After what seemed like an eternity of practice she finally mastered the fine art of flying.

She flew herself out of the beach and perched herself upon the branch of a little tree.

There was no bright side to this… She was all alone…At least Dan would be unable to find her. That was a plus…Right?

***~~X~~***

Alice stood there all alone. Sure, she had reassured Dan to go after Runo. She didn't let herself admit that she really needed comforting, Truth be told, she would have preferred if Dan had stayed.

But then again, she couldn't ruin his life… She looked at the trail that led to the palace. No, she couldn't face Shun again. That was when she finally made her decision. She ran to the palace and left a note in Dan's room. She ran, she desperately wanted to get out of there.

***~~X~~***

Shun had made his way back to the palace. He was still enraged. How could Alice have taken advantage of him like this? As he entered the main hall, his golden eyes fell on Fabia. She was sitting on one of the velvety chairs and brushing her hair with a silver brush.

"Greetings my lord." She said as she stood up and walked towards him. She had made up her mind to take her relationship with Shun to the next level.

She walked over to Shun and took his hand in both of hers and held it to her face. "I missed you so." She whispered.

Shun's face darkened like a thundercloud.

"You fraud!" he exclaimed at her as he withdrew his hand from hers.

Her eyes widened. "What are you-"

"Don't you dare deny it… Pretending to be someone you are not just for the sake of wealth! How low can you stoop down to?" he half-shouted.

"How-"

He cut her short."You wench! Did you think that you could deceive me for all of eternity?"

Fabia fumed up as well. "So are you telling me that I cannot have you?"

"You have no worth to have even a single strand of my hair." snorted Shun.

"Well then." said Fabia, holding her chin high. "Let's see what you say to this." She said haughtily. She took out a little bottle and brandished it at Shun.

Shun eyed the little green bottle. "If that is poison then you have me unfazed. I couldn't care less if you drank it."

"Oh my dear prince….**I **have no intention of drinking poison." She muttered as a slightly disturbing smirk crossed her features. She threw the bottle to the ground.

There was a clatter and the glass smashed to bits. A queer red smoke filled the place.

"I curse you!" she shouted at the top of her voice.

The smoke slowly disappeared revealing Fabia standing there looking extremely satisfied with herself.

And on the other side where Shun should have been was an animal. A little blue animal the size of a bunny rabbit. It was kind of a cross between a rat and a fox. It had a long bushy tail behind it and eyes that were bright gold.

Shun had been transformed into a strange, cute and fuzzy creature.

In the big body length mirror on the right Shun saw his reflection. A sort of yelp escaped the fox as Shun perceived his new form.

He growled at Fabia and she only doubled in laughter. "Oh Joe…This is just rich!" she chimed as her voice was muffled with laughter. She then took a few steps towards Shun(fox) with a sort of dreary murderous aura about her. She was sneering wickedly. She was grateful to Joe for having given her that potion. He had told her to use it in case anything went wrong.

Shun knew that he was no match for her as of now; so he did what all smart blue foxes would do. He turned tail and ran.

He managed his way out of the palace. And he ran through the winding lanes that stretched out before him.

***~~X~~***

After about five to six hours of futile searching Dan did not know what to do… Runo was nowhere to be found. "Where is she? It's almost as if she disappeared into thin air." He huffed.

Dan noticed that the setting sun had rendered the sky a stunning orange… The orange reminded him instantaneously of Alice. She must be suffering all alone. Dan figured that he should probably head back to the palace now… Runo might even be there.

When he reached the palace he was taken by shock at the note.

'_I'm leaving…I cannot bear to keep up this futile façade any longer. Take care Daniel... –from Alice.'_

"She left!" Dan muttered to himself in surprise. "Darn it…"

***~~X~~***

Shun quite unexpectedly came across a little cottage beside a river. He managed to sneak into the basement. He had no idea what to do… How would he get help? How could he convince **anyone** that **he** was the prince?

At best scenario he would probably be caught and then displayed as some wondrous feat of nature. He sincerely hoped that dissection wasn't something in the agenda.

He heard this sort of muffled shouting coming from the region above him. And then some lonesome footsteps came running towards where he was. The door opened admitting a faint yellow light to flood the basement and then the room was covered once again in darkness as the door closed behind her.

It was already night time. So the only light there was that emitted by the silvery moon.

The girl who had entered the room plopped down on the ground by the window. She was shivering from the cold.

That was when she spied something gleaming and red near her.

She shrieked in fright…. Red eyes were the last things she expected.

Shun yelped as well. In the surprise he had jumped into one of the regions illuminated by the moonlight.

The girl's eyes widened as she looked at the strange animal before her.

She knelt down and extended her hand to him. Shun could not see the face of the person who was beckoning him but he moved towards the hand…It was almost as if he was unnaturally drawn to that hand. As if the kindness that emanated from this person seemed familiar.

The figure stepped into the moonlight with a soft welcoming smile on her face.

Shun stopped in his tracks. No way! Why was fate taking such cruel twists? The girl before him was Alice. The hackles on Shun's neck rose up and he growled fiercely. The bitterness of being betrayed still burned overwhelmingly in his heart.

"Don't be scared…I won't hurt you." she spoke kindly.

Shun still growled. Wait, why was she here in this dark and dreary basement? Shouldn't she be back in the palace?

He didn't notice her when she cautiously reached over and took him into her arms. He yelped in surprise and was about to claw at her when he realized that he didn't want to hurt her after all. His growl faded as he felt her warm hands hold him so gently… If he were a human he would've been blushing like there was no tomorrow.

"You must be hungry." said Alice compassionately. She reached into one of her pockets and drew out a piece of fluffy bread.

Shun just gazed at her for a few seconds. Her smile was genuinely kind and her face was so innocent. He was confused….so confused.

***~~X~~***

Elsewhere, Runo was still perched upon the branch of the tree. "Why me?" she shouted to no one in particular. She was taken by surprise as she felt something grab her tiny form.

She shrieked in fear. She was amazed to see that the 'thing' that caught her wasn't a thing at all… It was Joe…

"What's the big idea?" she asked him.

He smiled knowing that she was referring to the shrunken state she was in. "Don't worry." He reassured her. But there was something about the way he said that…It only made her feel more uneasy. As if something was horribly wrong…

Joe took her to this towering castle. And then, locked her in a sort of bird cage. "What do you think you are-" she stopped her sentence seeing the disturbing sneer on his face.

"Pipe down little fairy…" he muttered darkly. "Or I will pull off you wings none by one...They might be a bother but it will be excruciatingly painful when they are peeled off your back."

Runo gazed at him in stark terror. She did not, more like 'could not' utter a single word.

She had been ensnared in a well-laid trap even before she was aware of it.

***~~X~~***

Dan had decided to finally ask Ace to help him. SO, he rubbed the lamp. "Help me locate Runo." He said.

"This will be your ninth wish." alerted Ace.

"I am well aware of that." said Dan looking severely into Ace's eyes.

"Alright. But I cannot grant it today. ONE wish per day…And today's wish is up."

Dan's eyes widened and he swore under his breath. "Fine! Tomorrow then."

"Tomorrow is the 11,111th anniversary of the spirit alliance formation." stated Ace.

"So?"

"Genies are forbidden from using magic tomorrow…and the following week." explained Ace. He felt bad for being unable to help Dan.

"One week?" muttered Dan in vain. "I have to be helpless for one week?"

Ace could read the sheer distress that Dan attempted to conceal in his voice. "I'm sorry…" the genie told his master.

Dan smiled at him a forlorn smile. "It's not your fault Ace….Don't worry about it." He plopped down on the bed and buried his face in his arms… "Help me someone, anyone."

Ace clenched his fist as he watched Dan… He looked out the window only to see the branch of a tree outside. "To not be able to see the one you love… I know it's hard…To not be able to open up and tell her how you feel…That excruciating vain, I can understand it all too well." whispered Ace more to himself.

There was a low rustling noise as the tree's branch brushed against the window pane.

***~~X~~***

A Fairy godmother with orange hair sat on the branch of the tree watching this entire scene. She felt Ace's gaze on her but knew that he couldn't see her. He was a genie after all..An entitled servant who could not see the spirits around him.

"You feel bad don't you?" she was addressing Ace knowing full well that he could neither see her nor hear her because he was a genie.

A light sigh escaped her lips. "I wish I could help you assist Daniel…But it is out of my reach…" she then stood up and looked towards the sky. "I wonder just how long I must wait for you to be able to see me and smile at me that smile once again. It's been hard…Waiting…and waiting all this while. It's been a heart-wrenching experience."

A silver trail of tears slid down her cheeks as she closed her eyes.

***~~X~~* **

Alice sat on the dusty grounds of the basement… She faintly heard a conversation amongst her foster-sisters.

"Did you hear? The prince is missing!" exclaimed one of them…

"Yes… A nationwide search has been ordered for him."

"He wasn't murdered, was he?"

"No…Uh…Maybe….I certainly hope not. What if, they find his dead-body? Aaaahhhh"

Alice's brown eyes widened in alarm and tears rolled down her cheeks almost at once. "Prince Shun is missing?" she muttered to herself. "Murdered? No…Oh please no."

"Please no…Please be alright." She begged into the darkness. She felt torn….She felt as if everything was her fault…If she hadn't lied to him, then perhaps….Shun wouldn't be missing. She could still remember that disheveled look on his face when he realized that she was lying. It was enough to completely tear her heart into shreds… She could still remember that tone in his voice when he said that he was appalled. "Why? Oh please dear lord…Why? Please let the prince be safe… I do not care if he is angry…Let him despise me for all he is worth…Let him detest me and curse that I go to hell…Let him hate me with every fiber of his being… But, I will still pray for him…please let him be alright….Please O God let nothing terrible happen to him… My heart yearns to know if my prince is alright… " and then her eyes widened all of a sudden and more tears rolled down her cheeks. She brought her hand to her heart in wonder. "Did I just say…**my** prince?" she whispered to herself. "That's right…That is what I wished for… And that wish is so beyond my reach." She leant back to the wall. The fox was on her lap and with her lonesome hands she stroked the creature's fur soothingly. And then Alice held the blue furry animal closer to her not knowing that **it** was in fact Shun.

Shun wondered just how rumors spread about so fast and exactly how it got twisted around so much? He gazed at Alice; he could feel his heart soften at each tear that came out of her eyes.

Drops of tears pattered down on the fox's face as it stared at her. He felt this growing need to comfort her.

All at once Shun felt sorry for shouting at her so cruelly… Now that he thought about it calmly… If her intentions to get close to him were truly malicious then why couldn't she complete her façade? Why did she stop deceiving him? Why did she look as if she was displeased with herself? And now, why did she cry so bitterly because of a mere speculation that he, Shun Kazami was dead? And then those words she had spoken just now. She would never have done so if her intention was to take advantage of him- 'the prince'.

And then, Shun could feel his heart crack … Her tears, like drops of concentrated acid burnt a hole in his heart…

If only he could comfort her…If only he could convince her that everything would be alright...If only he could tell her that he was not angry anymore….If only he could tell her that he desperately-

***~~X~~* **

Runo stared at the dull silvery pillars of the cage that trapped her. The cage now hung upon the branch of a tree… And this tree was situated in the middle of a dense forest… She remembered Joe saying something about the forest of 'no return' when he left her there…

She sank to her knees, hers shoulders quivering in a mixture of hopelessness and rage…She scrunched up her hands into fists and let her tears fall freely down her cheeks.

That scene of Alice in Dan's arms, that empathetic look on Dan's face; everything played through her mind as if in an endless loop that swirled on to infinity.

She was all alone now … No friends, no family and no companion…No one for miles around… Only surrounded by a thick stretch of trees and shrubbery…Why, oh why had she decided to drink that potion Joe gave her in the first place? She should just have been content being a mermaid…Was this her fate-to perish all alone; and in vain?

***~~X~~* **

Six individuals, six hearts, and thousands of regretful emotions that swirl around in a thick concoction of what one calls life…

A self-content string of maniacal laughter echoed and reverberated through the hallway of a mansion which had black walls and an equally dark tile floor…Blonde hair fluttered in the wind and blue eyes glinted in cunningness. What exactly does the owner of this delirious voice plan for these lost souls?

**Hm…Alright now, that is that….Just so we are clear, the one who laughed in the last scene is Joe and not Masky… I repeat – 'The one with the maniacal laugh is Joe.' I understand it is far-fetched…But I just felt like making Joe the villain in a story… And that is what I did…**

**SO take care guys…**

**Please REVIEW and tell me exactly what you think of this story so far.**


	12. Chapter 12

**One Fairy Tale Too Many**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 12**

Shun the fox watched everything. He watched exactly how much suffering Alice had to endure in the house of her foster mother…Now, her foster mother was crueler than ever. Alice had been missing for about a week after all.

Alice was hit harshly and her 'sisters' treated her worse than dirt... They avoided hitting Alice on the face because they didn't want anyone to know that she was being ill-treated.

Alice flopped down on the dusty ground. She rolled up the full sleeves of her tattered gown. She winced in pain all the while. She leaned back on the wall and soon felt something soft on her hand. She managed a weary smile as the little blue fox nuzzled her hand with his nose.

She picked up the little creature and laid it on her lap. She gently stroked its fur.

Shun could see that her arm was all covered in bruises…But he couldn't do anything to help…

"You know…I sometimes wonder why I came back to this place…I mean, it would've been better to wander the streets."

He looked at her with his golden eyes.

Alice's actions froze for a moment as she looked back at the furry animal… It seemed like the animal could understand her pain…And what's more…those eyes unfailingly reminded her of someone.

"Your eyes…" she whispered. "They're the same as his."

The fox sat up straight and alert.

"Your eye colour is the same as the prince's…I'm positive…" and then after a brief silence she laughed a bitter laugh. "You must be so puzzled now… It's not your fault though…I'm strange." she told the little fox as she stroked its fur. "After all, I am the whacky freak who fell in love with the prince of this kingdom." She muttered...

Shun's world literally turned upside down when he heard her say that. 'Fell in love with the prince?' Could that really be true?

Tears streamed down Alice's cheeks as she held he fox closer and wept. "I fell in love with His Highness Shun Kazami." she mumbled softly.

***~~X~~***

The palace was immersed in utter turmoil. Two of their imperial guests were missing and they had no idea whatsoever about the whereabouts of their prince.

Dan walked out the door of the palace, his face set in a determined expression. He stopped when a voice called him from behind.

"Where are **you** heading?" came a feminine voice.

Dan turned back only to see Fabia …

His face darkened like a thundercloud. "Why you…" he muttered as he yanked her roughly by the collar of the sweater draped over her peach coloured gown.

An incongruous smirk appeared upon her lips. "Muderer….Help, murderer!" she shrieked

A few guards hurried there hearing the cry of plea.

Realizing that he was outnumbered Dan decided to make a dash for it. He let Fabia go and ran in the direction of the palace gate.

Yet, Fabia did not cease her ruse. "He…he murdered Prince Shun!" she cried out. "Capture him."

"You deceitful witch." He muttered under his breath. As he reached the gate he saw a few more guards there. He was most definitely outnumbered.

'Great' he thought to himself as he readied himself to put up the best fight he could.

Just as he was on the verge of giving up a wisp of smoke emerged from the nozzle of his golden lamp.

Ace materialized before him and he helped Dan fight off the guards. "I thought you couldn't help me for a week." Dan muttered to the green-haired genie amidst their fight.

Ace smirked. "I am only not allowed to use magic to grant wishes…But I can help you in other ways if I so wish it."

"At least someone is on my side."

The duo finally managed to knock out all the guards in front of them and dashed out the gate.

"Stop right there…" threatened the guards. Yet they paid no heed to the men in uniform who were desperately perusing them.

***~~X~~***

"Get away….Stay away from me you mangy creature…." Runo was yelling as she waved her hands back and forth violently.

Whilst in the cage she was now trying to shoo away a sort of speckled bird which was now perching upon the cage.

It probably saw Runo as food. And its humongous beak was trying to force its way through the gap in the bars of the cage.

"Eeeeekkk!" she shrieked, and only the trees in that dense forest heard her cry.

***~~X~~***

There was a loud bang on the door of Alice's foster mother's house… The residents were surprised to see royal guards standing there with spears in their hands.

"Where is the one you call Alice?" thundered one of them.

The terrified sisters directed the guards to the basement.

They reached there. Alice was sitting on the ground. She was asleep. Shun, seeing the fierce look on the guards sprang up and growled at them.

One of them roughly yanked Alice up by the arm. She woke up from the pain of pressure on her already bruised hand. Fear was burnt deeply into the depths of her brown eyes.

Shun growled ferociously now. One of the guards kicked out at the little fox and sent him flying to the wall.

"NO!" shrieked Alice. "What…what is happening?"

"Alice Gehabich…You are being charged of identity fraud. For having infiltrated the palace and further for having assisted in the assassination on Prince Shun Kazami."

Alice stared at the man in devastation. "Assassination! You mean, he is dead?"

"Do not raise asinine questions you deceitful swine."

When Alice was being dragged to prison she was led past Fabia. She only laughed. Alice instantly knew that it was Fabia who was pulling the strings now.

Fabia walked up to the guards. There were a multitude of tears in her eyes. "How dare you…How could you even think of killing my prince!" she exclaimed slapping Alice across the face. "I wish you get the death sentence."

She was a good actor, Alice noted as she received one more slap on her other cheek. She could not react to Fabia's attacks.

Alice was soon led into the prison, handcuffed and put behind bars. Sitting in the cell of the prison she sighed. Her life was crumbling right before her eyes.

Everything precious to her was disappearing like salt through a sifter. And if anything ever were caught, it would be a bit of hard, brittle gravel which was wounding her.

Through the corner of her eyes she saw a sudden glint of metal… As she walked towards it she saw it was a dagger…

A dagger; how useful!. A little bit of metal with **a very **sharp pointy end. Perfect. She took it in her cold palms. "This is it." She told herself as she closed her eyes.

***~~X~~***

Julie was really nervous... Nothing made sense… Almost everyone had gone missing and Shun had been declared dead, not formally. But still, everyone in the palace was talking about it…

For many reasons she was just baffled, and then, imagine her surprise when she learnt that Alice was imprisoned for charge of Shun's murder.

She decided to go and pay Alice a little visit. In her opinion Alice wasn't the particularly 'deranged murderer' type. If anyone ever fit that image perfectly, it was Fabia.

As Julie passed by Fabia's room she noticed the room lit in a sort of disturbing scarlet colour. She slowly peeped across the edge of the open door and shrieked.

The room was filled with red smoke… The swirling mist was cold and distressingly despondent.

The smoke seemed to have fingers as it pulled Julie in. The silver-haired girl struggled all she could but she was soon pulled into the depths of the swirling cloud. And then, everything went black.

***~~X~~***

Shun was meanwhile running as fast as his little blue legs would permit him. He ran through the dusty streets and paid no heed to the people who noticed him. A couple of kids even tried to throw stones at him, but he kept on running.

Being a fox really improved his stamina.

Finally he reached in front of the palace gate. The golden gates towered above him. He managed to squeeze inside through the little gap between the poles.

'_Good, I'm inside now… Wow, I've never noticed how utterly humongous the palace was…'_ he thought to himself. _'Now all I have to do is keep out of Fabia's sight.'_

***~~X~~***

If Dan ever thought that his life was one devoid of destination, this had to be the perfect justification. He did not have even the first clue where to find Runo. But he continued running.

He then quite unexpectedly bumped into someone in the street. Literally **bumped** into him. The 'person' was sent hurtling to the ground. Dan walked over to him and helped up the blonde. He also muttered a clumsy apology.

The blonde stared at Dan with an all-knowing look on his face. "You…are looking for someone?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow.

Dan stared at the blonde in awe. "H..how did you know?"

"I have many talents…Telling fortunes being one of them… I also write novels." He answered with a smile.

Dan nodded in comprehension. Dan however failed to notice that imperceptible bit of slyness that hid behind the other man's smile.

"My name is Joe." He said extending his hand.

Dan shook his hand. "I'm Dan….So can you tell me where this person is?"

Joe knitted his eyebrows. "A girl, with bright blue hair and matching eyes." He said and paused to look at Dan's expectant face. "I may be able to do…But nothing can be said for sure….I will try." said Joe.

"I'll bargain on that." declared Dan. "I hope you don't mind helping…"

"Oh….Not…At…All."

And so, Joe led the way and Dan followed, ignorant of what would happen next.

As Joe led Dan a wide smirk appeared on his lips… "Part two; commenced." He muttered to himself.

***~~X~~***

**Thanks for reading… Please Review…**


	13. Chapter 13

**Yeah, so well…I'm sorry for the late update… Yeah, yeah I agree that this was BEYOND late! But what was I to do? I had encountered writer's block. Well, actually a sort of stand-still. I was unable to focus on anything I do…My mind always wandered and stuff…In the end, I ended up procrastinating a whole lot of stuff- my stories, my projects, my drawings and not to mention my homework. Then, I had to go into overdrive trying to get everything done…**

**Anyways, I'm sorry for putting you all on edge guys… **

**One Fairy Tale Too Many**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 13**

Julie found herself in the middle of a huge elaborately decorated room when she finally awoke. "Where am I?" she muttered… She spotted this massive table made of oak and to one far side stood a fountain of crystal clear water. For some strange reason Julie found herself being drawn towards it...

She walked over to it almost as if in a trance. She was surprised to find pieces of paper in it. She reached in and pulled out one of the parchments. To her utter amazement the words weren't blurred from moisture at all.

She read it. "The maiden, having lost all will to live on and struggle, set her eyes resolutely at the shining dagger she held in her hand. Her brown eyes which had once housed such sincerity and kindness has now lost their beautiful sparkle. She loved the prince, and now she was arrested for the murder of the one whom she so desperately loved… Her life had been a miserable mass of nothing but lament right from the start. And now, that she holds the sharp tool at her throat, her mind floods with the gorgeous images of the raven haired prince with shimmering golden eyes…" Julie ceased reading. Her eyebrows were knitted together. For some reason, the people in the passage/story reminded her of Alice and Shun. The whole 'getting arrested for your beloved's murder' really sparked the inquisitiveness that lay dormant within her.

She continued. 'The cold metal of the knife glinted in sleek precision as it inched down to make contact with her skin.' Julie felt a bit reluctant to continue at this point.

***~~X~~***

Just as Julie was reading through all this, things took place just as the parchments related. Everything to the minutest detail was exactly similar.

Alice was about to kill herself. Just as the knife was inches from her throat, there was this metallic clatter, and there came no grunt of pain.

The knife lay to one side, and Alice gazed in utter astonishment at the blue fox which stood before her.

It had bitten the knife out of Alice's hand just in time.

The fox growled at her, its eyes were narrowed in a sort of rage.

"I…How did you get here, little one?"

The fox/Shun couldn't answer of course. But he jumped up onto Alice's lap; the look in its eyes was so fierce that Alice was half scared that he could claw at her or bite her head off or something.

Alice cautiously laid her hand on the little creature's fur. The fox snarled almost as if it was trying to reprimand her for attempting suicide.

Shun remembered what his Fairy Godmother Mira had told him about five minutes ago.

"_A kiss…That'll do the trick. A kiss from the one you love; on the grounds of the palace." She had said._

It seemed just too convenient right now.

The fox extended his nose forwards and made contact with Alice's lips.

Alice was perplexed. A fox was trying to hit on her? I mean, how many people actually found themselves in such a situation? Alice just could _not _think straight. (No pun intended)

She then felt the pressure on her lap intensify. So much so, that she tried moving away. In the end, it only resulted in her being pinned to the ground.

It was clear to notice that the thing that was kissing her wasn't the little fox anymore. The fur in contact with her lips slowly transformed into skin. She then felt a hand, not a furry paw, but an actual hand caress her face.

She didn't know why; but she felt no impulse to move away. And then, the pressure on her weakened as the other pair of lips pulled away.

To her bewilderment, she found Shun on top of her in an 'oh so' embarrassing position. His eyes thwarted her in _such_ an intense gaze, that it becomes impossible to explain through aid of mere words.

He said nothing as he pulled himself onto his feet.

Alice was still trying to process just what happened. What was all this? Shakily, she stood up as well. "Your Majesty?" she called out in disbelief.

He now turned to her with an infuriated expression, his hands raised in aggravation."What was the meaning of that!" he yelled, pointing haggardly at the knife that lay on the ground.

She knew not what to say.

***~~X~~***

Dan was meanwhile still following Joe's lead.

Ace didn't know why but he could sense this sort of disturbing aura emanating from Joe half the time. But he said nothing, only watched.

The path in the forest twisted and turned about endlessly. They soon found themselves in front of this large golden gate amidst the greenery. And on it was written 'Forest of NO return'.

Joe turned to Dan and pointed at the gate. "She…is on the other side."

Dan scanned the warning symbol that hung there. "You may leave now if you wish." He told Joe.

"And you?"

"I…must find her." said Dan without a moment's worth of hesitation. He wasn't going to let a vaguely threatening sign interfere in his path to reach the one he loved.

And then he opened the gate. It squeaked horribly as it dragged open. The forest ahead seemed denser and a whole lot darker. However it did not deter his resolve.

As Dan disappeared into the forest Joe smirked in sheer satisfaction. "In delirious anticipation I await to bear witness the unfolding of this tale."

***~~X~~***

Mira sat on the branch of a tree that stood on the palace grounds. She spotted Fabia hurrying somewhere. The black haired 'princess' seemed utterly flustered as she held her gown and sped through the garden. Mira's eyebrows knotted as she wondered of the possible reasons that might upset Fabia so.

Mira took out her carrot and stroked the leaves on it a little. Her face then momentarily lit up in an all-out grin as she pointed it at Fabia. "Splatter!" said she.

Fabia then tripped abruptly and fell right into the middle of a mud-puddle; and splatter! The gooey mud oozed all over her white gown… "Eeeek!" she cried in disgust.

Mira laughed seeing Fabia's state. She half-wished that she could do something a bit more…_extreme_ to Fabia. But then, that would be against the code of a 'Fairy Godmother.'

"Aaw…I should've added slugs…" exclaimed Mira to herself. "No matter." She pointed her carrot at Fabia once more. "Creepy Crawly."

An array of all kinds of insects fell from the sky and covered Fabia. The slimy mud only made it grosser. They buzzed and crawled about probably leaving trails of slime all over the mud covered 'princess'.

Fabia's horrified shriek resonated throughout the atmosphere of the whole palace. No, strike that last bit- it probably resonated through the whole kingdom.

***~~X~~***

Runo sat crouched up in a far corner of the cage, her hand hugging her knees to her chest. Being a fairy was bad enough, and now she was imprisoned. Quite unexpectedly there came a voice, a male voice.

"Runo!" it called. "You here?"  
Her eyes widened in astonishment. She knew that voice all too well. It was Dan! But then, why was he here? Why would anyone with a sane mind enter a forest collectively dubbed 'forest of NO return'? It made no sense.

But then, she couldn't ignore the fact that her heart leapt as she heard that voice. A small flame of hope was rekindled in her heart as she ran towards the bars of the cage.

"Dan!" she cried out.

He soon came into view. His eyes shone with determination streaked with just a hint of doubt. His features were still clear amidst the semi-darkness of the forest.

Runo's heart stirred with relief as she saw his face again. He was calling out her name, so that means he was searching for her…He was concerned for her after all. Tears of happiness appeared in Runo's eyes as she called out to him. "Dan…"

Soon, the relief in her heart was replaced with sheer horror when she realized that he couldn't hear her. "DAN!" she cried at the top of her voice. "No. Please no." She rattled at the cage desperately as she noticed that Dan was walking away. She was too small to create a large enough noise that Dan could notice. "No…Dan, don't leave me." But he still couldn't hear her. "DAN!"

Tears made their way down her cheeks as she watched Dan disappear further into the forest- all the while calling out for her.

. Runo's knees gave away and she sank to the base of her metallic prison. Her shoulders trembled as she cried. The flame of hope was now extinguished from cold dark reality. "Dan…please come back…I'm here…I'm here." She sobbed in hopeless misery.

Completely oblivious of what he had passed; Dan rushed through the dark and mazy forest path as he searched for the blue-haired princess he so wished to find.

***~~X~~***

**That's the end of chapter 13. I'm sure that you're all totally tired of cliffhangers by now. But bear with me just a bit more… The next chapter involves confrontations…a 'lot' of confrontations that I get all worked up just thinking about it!**

**Anways, I hope you guys liked the chapter. Let me know what you think kay?**

**REVIEW please. Go on, don't be shy ;) **

**3 Ya!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Alright, so after that delay I am back with a considerably long chapter. It's longer than all the rest and it has parts of all three pairings namely AlicexShun, DanxRuno and AcexMira.**

**One Fairy Tale Too Many**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 14**

Shun turned to Alice with an infuriated expression on his face, his hands raised in aggravation."What was the meaning of that!" he yelled, pointing haggardly at the knife that lay on the ground.

Alice gulped seeing Shun's severity. "I…"

His golden orbs pierced into hers and she struggled to form a reasonable sentence.

"Answer me, damn it!"

"Your Majesty, I…" she took in a deep breathe as she considered what to answer. "I've had enough of this bleak life…I've been condemned ever since birth…And, there came a point when I…felt as if I just couldn't take any more of this." She spoke up.

Shun's eyes softened just a bit as he heard the despair that flooded her trembling voice. "And so, you wanted to end it all, just like that?" he questioned.

Alice broke her gaze from Shun's and stared downwards at the grimy prison floor she was sitting on.

A sigh escaped Shun's lips as he settled down on his knees beside the orange-haired girl, his expression gentler. "Just…Promise me you won't even think of doing something like that ever again..." He muttered putting his arms around her and pulling her close in a hug.

Alice's chocolate eyes widened in amazement at the sudden warmth that engulfed her. "But…Your majesty, you despise me, don't you?" she whispered.

"I regret you lied to me, yes. However…"he stroked her hair gently. "I do not think that I am able to bring myself to despise you…" he paused, "I feel quite the opposite actually."  
Alice clutched at Shun's robe, her hands trembling with disbelief, was he really saying all this? Could this scenario be real or was it just a mere infatuation created by her exhausted mind? She half thought that Shun would soon disappear into thin air at any moment.

"Alice…" he called out, his voice warm and loving. "Everything you said to that blue fox, was it really true?"

Alice's eyes widened. "I…"

"You said that you were in love with Prince Shun Kazami." He said, refreshing her memory. "Was it true?"

Her face by now had acquired quite a deep shade of scarlet. She knew that she was just a peasant and that she didn't have even the right to be in Shun's arms like this, let alone tell him that she loved him.

"I…."she momentarily pushed all her hesitation aside. "Yes, my lord."

Shun couldn't help but smiled widely at that. "Alright then…" he chuckled lightly as he pulled away from the hug. He placed his hand on her chin and tilted her face upwards so that they were now looking directly at one another. "I believe I've fallen in love with you as well." He half whispered. The blush on her face only made her seem more adorable. He bent forwards, his face nearing hers and their lips on collision course.

Alice felt as if her breathe was hitched in her throat. However, this was what she had been waiting for. This was what she wanted more than anything else in the world. She let her eyelids close and parted her lips a little and waited intently for contact.

Just as their lips were mere millimeters apart Fabia interrupted them, she had changed from her muddy clothes. There was a thunderous clang as she swung open the metal door ferociously. Shun was tempted to ignore her and just give Alice a kiss full of love, that she so deserved. But Alice seemed so bothered by Fabia's presence that he decided he would suspend their kiss for now. He squeezed Alice hand reassuringly before standing up and facing Fabia.

"What is it now, witch?" he asked.

"Don't you dare call me that!" she shrieked in her annoying voice. "Now. You will come with me, and then marry me in two days time." she muttered.

"And just why would I do that?" he asked, half-disgusted at the thought.

"Because." She whispered darkly. "I've set a magical circle over the diameter of this entire kingdom. And if I activate it, everyone will disappear, poof, get it? Every single soul will be separated from its body and forced through the gates of hell. And on the other side of the gate, awaits nothing but eternal suffering."

Shun seemed just a bit overwhelmed by what she said.

"You may not believe me…Let me demonstrate." Saying this Fabia walked over to the little termite nest in one corner. "This is the magic circle…" a purple circle appeared. "Activate." She commanded. And soon the room was filled with agonizing sort of squeals that came from the termites' souls.

Alice pressed her palms violently to her ears and tried to shut out the miserable screams. And the howls were patronizing to Shun as well.

"Want me to stop?" asked Fabia smugly.

"Please…Please stop it." cried Alice.

Fabia responded to Alice's request. She then turned to Shun. "And your decision is?"

"…"

"If you choose **not** to marry me, every single innocent soul in this kingdom will be forced to go through that horror for the rest of eternity."

Shun arms were trembling. On one side was Alice and on the other, the fate of everyone of his kingdom. He gritted his teeth as his emotions slowly overwhelmed him.  
"Please…your majesty…Don't worry about me…Your people, they need you…You can save them… You mustn't let me hinder your decision." said Alice, trying desperately to reassure him.

"Alice…." He whispered; his fists clenched. "I'm sorry…my dear…I'm so sorry…but I must leave you."

Alice nodded despite the tears that were choking her. "I know…. This is your…duty…my prince." She whispered.

Shun forcefully tore his stare from Alice's and followed Fabia out of the prison cell. As he left, a lone tear escaped his golden eyes.

"You are free to leave." Fabia told Alice shooting her an unkind look.

Alice said nothing; she only gazed at the floor. She still felt somewhat traumatized. Why was it that happiness never lasted long for her?

***~~X~~***

Mira sat on the branch of a tree. For some strange reason she felt overwhelmingly melancholic. She didn't know why, but she had this growing urge to see Ace again. Without further deliberation she calculated Ace's location and soon reached the 'forest of no return'. She watched as Dan wandered about aimlessly screaming one name- 'Runo'. Dan's sheer desperation made her feel a tad compassionate. Plus, this _was_ Ace's hundredth master. Dan was the guy who'd be responsible for Ace's freedom, so she owed him did she not?. She sighed calling out to Dan. "Need help?"

Dan was surprised seeing her. "Woah! You're floating in mid air…Are you a witch?" That's right; he was a **fool** forcalling a person willing to help him a 'witch'.

Mira glowered. "You want help _or __**what**_?"

"Ah…I'm sorry…madam!"

"Madam! How old do I look, human?" she thundered, as glaring fiercely at the brunette.

"I'm sorry…so sorry…_miss_." He said hurriedly. He realized that this person might actually have the power and the caliber to help him find Runo. And there was no way he would loose that chance. Dan was a fool; not mental.

"Hey…Dan, who the heck are you talking to? Finally lost your marbles?" called out Ace as he materialized before him.

"Can't you see that person there?" asked Dan.

Ace still bore an expression of doubt upon his face.

"Seriously!" exclaimed Dan. "There's a girl floating up there."

Ace continued to mock the brunette and called him crazy.

"Never mind…Genies can't see Fairy Godmothers." said Mira, gazing at Ace forlornly all the while.

"Oh! Is that so? Wait, so…you're my Fairy Godmother!" exclaimed Dan all of a sudden.

"Not really…However, I thought I'd help you. My name is...Mira." she told Dan.

Ace was suddenly aware of it. He suddenly had this bizarre feeling as if someone were staring at him, almost intently. Ace was quiet. He was trying to put two and two together. "Dan." He said. "There's a Fairy Godmother before you?"

"Yeah…why?"

"Oh, it's nothing…" Ace suddenly seemed a bit distant. Dan could see the aloofness that reflected upon the face of the green-haired genie. He was about to ask Ace something when Mira shook her head from side to side in disapproval. "No, don't say anything to him." She advised. "It'd be best if you leave him be, for the time being at least."

Dan looked at Mira. He sensed immediately that there was something suspicious that neither Ace nor Mira was disclosing. But he decided to concentrate at the task at hand –finding Runo. He then told Mira all the details of the person he wished to find.

Mira smiled. "No problem." She took out her carrot.

Dan sweat-dropped. "Are you really **that** hungry? Can't your meal wait?"

Mira glared at him. "Don't you dare question me!" She half-ordered.

Dan finally reached one ever so important conclusion- 'Mira was a very, very scary Fairy Godmother'. Pity her Fairy Godchildren. Wait, her Godchildren weren't fairies, were they? Okay, _now_ he was confused.

Mira waved the carrot about and soon jumped down from the tree and led the way into the forest. Dan followed her closely and they soon reached a little clearing. "There." said Mira pointing up towards the branch of a tree.

"Runo's up a tree!" Dan exclaimed.

"She's in that cage, doorknob." informed Mira.

"But-" Dan was going to say something again but he was cut short.

"Shut up, and take a look." said Mira sternly.

Dan complied and cautiously climbed up the tree, and when he reached the top to his utmost surprise he found Runo, crying with her face buried in her palms.

Dan gazed in amazement at her tiny size and the wings that were attached to her back. But there was no mistaking that this was her. "Runo?" he called out.

She drew in a deep breathe as she heard Dan's voice. With a face brimming with disbelief, she raised her head and stared at the face that was peeping in at her... "Dan?" she half-whispered, more tears escaping her eyes. She was ashamed at herself for crying like this, but she couldn't help it.

Momentarily she had forgotten the little scene with Alice that she had witnessed in the garden not so long ago. She ran towards the edge of the cage and reached her tiny hands through the bars of the cage and placed it upon Dan's nose. "I…I'm not dreaming, then." she muttered to herself in relief.

***~~X~~***

Meanwhile, Mira stood upon the ground looking at the tree. "I hope things work out for you two." She muttered.

Unbeknownst to her, Ace had emerged from his lamp. He took in a deep breathe. "Hey." He called out. "Are you still here, mysterious Fairy Godmother?" he addressed the force that was invisible to him.

Mira knew that Ace couldn't hear or see her; so answering his query wouldn't make much difference.

"Uh…Do you happen to know a Fairy by the name of Mira?" he asked.

Mira sighed. What _was_ this green-haired guy trying to achieve? She took a small little rock and flung it at his head.

He stared in bewilderment at the direction from which the stone had come. "Wait…" he muttered. "You _are_ her, aren't you?"

Mira was taken by surprise. How exactly did he infer that?

"If I'm right then fling another pebble at me." He told her.

Mira smiled slightly as she bent down and took a handful of pebbles and threw one at him- 'thud'.

"Ouch…A bit milder next time, please…"Soon, this sort of unparalleled delight passed across his face."Since I can't hear you talk, I think I'll do most of the talking…Just hit me with a pebble for a 'yes'." he said "It must've been unfair on you- being able to see me whilst I remain oblivious of your presence… Did that bother you?"

'Thud', another pebble hit him.

"I'm sorry…" he sighed heavily. "You must despise me…for making you suffer like this for the past two hundred and thirty five years." His voice dropped low as he gazed at the ground in regret. He felt bad for having dragged the sweet princess into this mess.

No pebble hit him…He was surprised, he was expecting a huge pebble to some hurtling his way.

"Mira? Do you have enough pebbles out there?"

'Thud', another pebble hit him, this time on his shoulder.

A soft smile tugged his lips. "So you don't hate me then? That's good to know…" a short period of silence elapsed. "Hey…I'm sorry…I'm really sorry for getting you into this mess. This is my fault, entirely. If I were but a bit more cautious, if I hadn't let myself be carried away by my feelings towards you, then you'd be living a peaceful and happy life. You wouldn't have been condemned to be a Fairy Godmother. And what's more, the job doesn't pay much at all…. I must apologize for- ouch!"

Mira had flung a whole handful of pebbles onto him. And one or two of them was probably a bit too large to be called a 'pebble'. "Don't you dare blame yourself for this Ace… My decision to follow you…I feel no regret for it what-so-ever." She half-shouted. Tears brimmed in her eyes and soon flowed down her cheeks. She knew that Ace couldn't hear her. She desperately wished that he could though. "I do not regret it…And I never will."

"Wait, Mira…" he called out. "Don't cry…I don't want you to cry on my account." He said soothingly.

Mira's eyes widened and she desperately blinked away her remaining tears. "How did you know…that I was crying?" she whispered half to herself.

"Alright then…I won't apologize…" he said. "But I'll say this much... I've missed you…a lot."

A slight blush tinted Mira's cheeks as she heard that. She wanted to tell him that she missed him too. What she wanted more was just to be taken in Ace's arms just then and there.

"Don't worry though. I'll come for you soon."

"I know." whispered Mira throwing another pebble at him.

Ace sat down upon the soft grass at the foot of the tree and another stretch of silence elapsed. 'Thud', another pebble, a relatively bigger pebble hit him on the head. He rubbed his hand gingerly on the sore spot and half-frowned. "What was that for, hey Mira?" he called out and then soon chuckled. "I suppose you just thought it would be funny." He said, his smile deepening. "You haven't changed you know, princess?"

Mira giggled as she sat down beside him. "You know me too well, Ace Grit." She muttered as she gazed at his face half-wishing that he'd be able to see her as well. But then, this 'conversation' they just was just enough….for now, at least.

***~~X~~***

"Are you alright?" Dan questioned Runo softly.

She nodded to him. "Yeah, well….I guess…"

"You can talk? And why are you so small?"

"I'll answer later. But for now, can you get me out of here please?" she asked him.

"Ah…Sorry, of course." whispered Dan as he got to work trying to unclasp the hook the cage from the tree's branch.

It was only then that Runo recalled the reason why she had been so mad at Dan. But even her anger couldn't overcome the fact that she loved him. _'I wonder…why he came all this way…Just to save me? Isn't he, isn't he having an affair with Alice?'_ she thought to herself as she stared at Dan's perfectly chiseled face.

"Why…why did you come here?" she asked him.

"What do you mean by that Runo? Why else would I be here but to find you?" and then, the cheeriness in his voice disappeared. "I'm sorry if I hurt you Runo." He muttered. "Seriously, I did not mean to… It was all a misunderstanding."

"And you held Alice so nice and snug, why?" she asked skeptically. She wanted so much to believe what Dan said but then, her jealousy seemed to have a mind of its own.

"Will you hear me out?" and then he started relating to Runo about how he was only trying to comfort Alice because Shun was angry at her.

Runo took in a deep breath. "Fine then…I'll…believe you…"

Dan smiled at her. "Thank you..." he took in a deep breath. "I've hesitated a lot, but not anymore." A look of pure adoration passed across his face. "I love you…"

A heavy blush shaded her face… "I…" she gulped. It surprised her how Dan bared his heart like this whilst not even questioning about her fairy wings and miniature appearance. She felt bad about deceiving him like this…She was a mermaid. She was half-fish by birth, and that would perhaps never be good enough. Tears escaped her eyes.

"Runo?" he called out in surprise. "Why…are you crying?"

Now that she thought about it, Runo realized that she had been living a lie all this time. As her first tear plodded upon the palm of her hand she muttered. "I'm sorry…but, we can't…we can't be together."

Dan drew in a sharp breath of disbelief. "Runo-" just as he was about to say something, a raven came flying out of nowhere. With one strong peck from it's beak it shattered the clasp of the cage and it was sent falling swiftly towards the ground.

"RUNO…" Dan yelled as he reached out towards the cage, all of no avail. "ACE! Help…" Dan cried out.

Ace stood up almost immediately and looked up. Seeing the falling cage he positioned his arms, ready to catch it. However there was a swift swish and soon, the cage disappeared.

"What just happened?" questioned Mira.

Soon they saw Joe standing there to one side, holding the cage in his right arm and with the raven perched upon his left shoulder. "That…was close…Your interference was an unforeseen variable Fairy Godmother." He muttered. "How will despair and misery reign when you act so recklessly and create respite for yourselves?" saying this, he took out a sword and lashed at Ace's golden lamp that lay upon the ground. "Think about the consequences of your actions first."

A crack appeared upon the surface of the golden lamp and Mira's face shown with horror.

Dan had by now reached the foot of the tree. "Joe…. Thank Goodness you caught her…I'm indebted to you." Dan cried out with relief. He was oblivious of the actual situation.

"Dan…he's the enemy." muttered Ace forebodingly.

"What do you-"Before Dan could complete his question, Runo's shriek filled the air. Her eyes were flooded with tears of torment. Joe had reached his finger into the little cage and then plucked away one of her wings neatly from her back. And clearly, it was painful.

"JOE!" Dan yelled in revulsion.

Joe waved the wing in Dan's direction and soon threw it towards him. "You may keep this as a souvenir. Remember her tiny little form and replay that melody of pain over and over again." He muttered darkly. "I wonder, will she shriek even more loudly if I rip her apart…limb by limb…"

Dan was now trembling with anger an very soon he charged blindly at Joe. However, the blonde disappeared into thin air before Dan could make contact. "DARN IT!" Dan yelled in frustration.

Right at that moment, Ace fell to his knees clutching at his stomach. He seemed to be in pain...The damage done to the lamp was now reflecting upon him.

"Ace…" Mira rushed to him, her heart broke realizing that she couldn't lay even a soothing hand upon him. Silent tears flowed down her cheeks as she watched helplessly as Ace's body twitched whilst coping with the pain that resonated within him.

***~~X~~***

**Thanks for your support guys…**

**And please don't curse me for my late updates; you must please understand my limitations. What, with entrance exams this year it's a wonder that I didn't put my stories 'on hiatus'. However I hold true to my policy at never leaving a story unfinished.**

**Please do let me know exactly what you think in the entirety of the situation okay? Leave me a REVIEW and tell me your feelings.**

**Yours Sincerely**

**Arisu.**


	15. Chapter 15

**One Fairy Tale Too Many**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 15**

Shun sat on a rather large sofa with a frown on his face and arms folded over his chest. Fabia's irritating humming only aggravated him more. However there was nothing he could do. He had to marry her and spend the rest on his miserable life bound to that cackling witch.

Little did the prince know that he was the victim of a hoax.

Fabia was now picking the 'tiara' she would wear during the wedding. She felt pleased with herself, the reason being that she couldn't perform that deadly magic spell on a 'macro' basis. The largest things she could apply that torturing spell on where Cicadas and it wore off in five minutes or so. She definitely couldn't harm human-beings with it. But, Shun didn't need to know that, she decided with a self-satisfied smirk.

***~~X~~***

Back in the dungeon Alice had her back planted on the dreary cold stone wall. The prison door was wide open but she made _no_ move to leave. What was the point anyway? She felt it better to let herself waste away in that dungeon. It was not like anyone would miss her… Her thoughts paused, her heartbeat quickened and her face reddened slightly as she subconsciously recalled the sensation of Shun's lips in contact with hers.

"Aren't you leaving, miss?" came a male voice.

Alice opened her eyes and stared at the person in front of her. Even in the semi-darkness his blond hair stood out and his blue eyes sparkled brilliantly.

"Well? His majesty instructed me to escort you out." He explained.

She shifted her gaze to the nearby wall. "His Majesty?"

"Prince Shun Kazami…However why would he care about a prisoner when he's marrying Fabia in two days?"

"Two days?" Alice repeated; her voice was blank and her heart felt even blanker.

"What are you? An echo repeating everything I say?" he joked. "Allow me to escort you outside."

Alice didn't know why but she let Billy lead her out of the dungeon without protest. Hen she was about to leave the gates Billy stopped her and fumbled around in his pocket. Finally he drew out an immaculately decorated price of peacock-blue card. "This is for you, an invitation to the prince's wedding."

Alice eyed it in gloom. "And what do you wish for me to do with it?" she muttered impassively.

"I'm **not** blind, you know." Spluttered out Billy. "I can see it when my friend is hiding things from me….I can also sense it, very well, when _**he **_is in love." He then put his hand upon Alice's shoulder. "And I don't mean Fabia… You must come day after tomorrow." He instructed.

"**And then what**?" Alice cried out, throwing her hands up in frustration. Why wouldn't this 'stranger' just let her leave in peace?

"I don't know, nor do I care…_**Elope **_or something; darn it all." replied Billy with equal fortitude.

Alice's face turned a very distinct shade of scarlet and she looked away from him. "Stop jumping to wild conclusions!"

"I'm right, aren't I?." The blond grinned, definitely feeling pleased himself. "You _are_ in love with him…And he with you."

Without thinking twice about it, Alice snatched the wedding invitation out of Billy's hand and walked away.

"See you in two days then." called out Billy waving goodbye.

Alice couldn't help but smile at Billy's straightforwardness. But she restrained herself from replying and only waved away his comment.

***~~X~~***

Dan was surprised, stunned and most of all confused.. Runo was a fairy, a wingless fairy mind you. Joe was a psychopath, Ace was under indescribable pain, Mira was rambling on about things that did not make sense at all. The prince Shun was getting married to Fabia. About Alice he had no news at all.

"Damn it all." He yelled in frustration.

Mira made no move to comfort him as she sat immersed in her own problems. Tears of pain formed in her eyes. She felt utterly crushed. It was common knowledge in the sprit world that once a genie's lamp was damaged then the genie would disappear from existence in a mere 72 hours. To think that after all this labored waiting Ace would disappear before he could even see her, before he could even talk to her properly….Before, they had their first kiss ever. Bright drops of water trailed down Mira's cheek. She stifled her sobs to keep her grief unnoticed... But it was too late. Dan had already sensed her grief.

He didn't know if it were possible for a human to touch a fairy godmother. But he reached out and laid a comforting hand on Mira's shoulder. "Is there something that you and Ace haven't told me yet?" he questioned softly.

Mira drew her knees to her chest and buried her face in her palms. The she began to speak, more like confess. Her forsaken story came out muffled and unclear but not to the extent that Dan was unable to comprehend it.

"I'm sorry." Dan whispered looking sympathetically at the fairy godmother. "If only Ace hadn't been involved in this…It's my fault that…he's in danger now. There must be some way to save him… Come on miss Mira, think."

Mira was indeed surprised by the sincerity in Dan's voice. She desperately gulped away her grief and stood up. "We should find Runo first." She stated plainly.

"Shouldn't you focus your powers on saving Ace?" Dan questioned softly.

"There are just some things that even a Fairy Godmother is unable to do- Some things that will always remain beyond my reach."

"So…You're saying it's impossible to save him?"

"I can't…However, with the right amount of power…" she paused. "No, it's impossible…" she whispered before closing her eyes and concentrating to find Runo.

***~~X~~***

Julie was still within that queer room near the fountain. She continued to read the seemingly 'forsaken' tale of six people. Her mind froze when there came the sound of footsteps along the hallway. In a desperately rapid movement she hid herself behind a pillar just in time to see a man with brownish-blond hair walk in. He propped a sort of birdcage upon a stand and chuckled in self conceitedness as he walked away with hands tucked in his pockets.

When Julie was s sure that the person had disappeared she came out of hiding and was surprised to find a fairy inside the cage- a tiny fairy with one wing matching the description within that strange story. Julie felt amazed when she noticed that the fairy looked like Runo and she was even more surprised when she learnt that the fairy **was** Runo.

Julie furrowed her eyebrows as she thought for a while. She could see the grief that was buried in Runo's eyes. "Runo, do you know someone with brown hair and matching eyes? A guy who's straightforward and head-strong?" Julie asked.

Runo was taken aback at Julie's sudden query. She said nothing only nodded.

"Did you have a fight with him?" the silver-haired girl enquired.

Runo gazed at Julie in astonishment. "How…" but she was interrupted.

"One more thing." Julie was serious; it was unlike her nature to be this solemn. "Are you, Runo Misaki in reality a mermaid?"

Runo could feel her heart pounding almost painfully against her ribcage. "Yes…But Julie…How do you know that?"

"There's something strange going on here." Julie muttered to herself and shrugged off Runo's question. She took the cage into her hand and started walking. "I need to get Baron to look into this." she muttered to herself as she took a load of papers from the fountain and stuffed them into her handbag along with a strange pen with purple ink filled in it.

She had no idea how to get out of the place. There was a strange pink fog coming from somewhere off in the distance. Upon instinct Julie headed towards it. Upon entering the fog she realized that it was suffocating her. She coughed and the birdcage fell from her grip. "Julie!" Runo called out in shock.

Suddenly everything around them turned blue…Pain shot through both their bodies.

When Julie finally came to, she found herself immersed underwater…She started panicking and thrashed about wildly, but for some strange reason she could breathe. To her alarm, she found her legs missing, and a silver tail in its place. She shrieked in terror.

Runo tried her best to comfort the silver-haired noble. In reality she herself found it hard to believe. She was back in the sea in her true form… She was a mermaid again. Was this fate?

"Runo!" came a very high-pitched female squeal. "We were all so worried." called out another mermaid as she swam to Runo and engulfed her in a bone-crushing hug.

Runo was forcibly ushered into the palace. Julie found it really hard to control that silver tail of hers. She had to hold onto Runo to prevent herself from being carried away by the strong ocean current.

"This isn't as easy as it looks." She muttered as she clung tightly onto Runo.

The other mermaid placed her palm on a rock amidst the sea anemones and the scenery altered as if by magic and gave way to a grand palace.

"Runo…" Julie called out in awe. "You're the mer-princess?"

Runo nodded. "That's right."

The King appeared before them, he had a massive crown on his head and an even more massive trident in his hand. "Runo…WHERE were you?" he asked, his eyebrows threading together in a great arch.

"…"

"Answer me." He thundered. "Do you not know you're the princess?"

Runo scoffed. "There are half a dozen princesses in this palace. You couldn't care less if I decided to jump off a cliff."

"I will NOT be spoken to like that, young mer-lady. Would you like to be fed to the sharks?"

Julie listened to this exchange awe. Who in the right mind would threaten their daughter to feed them to the sharks? The whole concept was absurd.

"Or perhaps, the water-snakes will be more appealing."

"Aren't those empty threats getting old? It might've worked on me when I was a little kid. But not anymore." Runo yelled back with equal fortitude.

"Go to your room." He commanded.

"I-"

"GO to your room, NOW." He cut her short fiercely.

Runo said nothing, her face twitched in frustration as she stalked through the sea-shell pathway after shooting a near sympathetic glance at Julie.

After Runo left, the King turned to Julie. "And you?"

He looked really ticked off. Julie was half scared that he'd squash her into a mushy little mass if she ticked him off any more. She gulped as her mind started probing for various possible explanations. She was in a sticky situation. She now understood why Runo had run away from 'home'- if you could call it that.

***~~X~~***

Mira turned to Dan, her eyes wide and confused. "Runo, she's underwater!"

"What?" Dan exclaimed. "You mean she's drowning? No…"

Mira closed her eyes. "Not really…but I'm having trouble seeing exactly what she is doing…There're other people around her though…"

"So what am _**I **_to do?" Dan asked.

Before Mira could answer his question Ace emerged out of the cracked lamp. He stood there with his arms crossed and stared at Dan. "Where's Mira?" he asked.

Dan could see that Ace was masking the pain with his blank expression. He pointed in Mira's direction. "There."

Ace turned to face Mira. "Go back to the Spirit world." He instructed her firmly.

"No, I won't." she retorted knowing full well that he couldn't hear her.

"Being a Fairy Godmother just isn't your forte. You're a princess; you're not cut out for this Mira. You and I both know that. Stop this nonsense and go back immediately. You've already wasted 235 years of your life waiting for a forsaken royal guard who got turned into a genie."

"Ace-" Dan tried to interrupt him but Ace glared at him fiercely with his gray eyes.

"This does NOT concern you." he thundered at Dan and then turned to Mira. "**Don't you get it**? We were never meant to be together right from the start. I was condemned right from birth. There's no need for you to share the same fate…This is sheer insanity. You can….you can have a cheerful and happy life. Why do you wish to throw it all away for…for a worthless person such as myself? Why Mira…Can't you see-" his sentence was cut short as a huge rock flew out of nowhere and whacked him on the head. Ace was almost sent flying to the ground with the sheer force.

"You idiot!" Mira yelled. "How dare you even think of telling me such things… How could you? I wanted so bad to be by your side. That's the only thing I'd ever wished for in my life." Tears flowed down her cheeks. "Is that so wrong?" she whispered, sincerely hoping that he could hear her.

"What was that for?" Ace exclaimed, motioning at the huge rock. "That could've killed me, woman!" his expression then set into a serious one. "I'm sorry…" he muttered. "Remember how you once told me that you'd give me one wish as a reward for defeating your brother in a duel? You said that I could ask **ONE** thing of you that _**you'd**_ be forced to obey no matter what." he paused and drew in a deep breath. "Forget about me Mira, and go back to the spirit world. That is what I want."

"No you can't so that." She whispered, her eyed wide with shock. "Please don't make that wish…Please don't say the incantation. No Ace, please no."

Ace started chanting, his eyes set in determination and Mira watched on helplessly. He knew that once the incantation was said Mira would be forced to obey the constraints of his wish.

"STOP…" intervened Dan and Ace suspended his chant.

"What now?" he asked Dan, looking annoyed.

"It's midnight." stated Dan.

"So?"

"You as a genie should be able to grant wish now. I want to make a wish…**Right now**."

Ace raised an eyebrow at him. "What do you intend to achieve?"

"I wish that you'd be independent of your lamp for survival and be able to see Mira once more." said Dan without hesitation.

Ace stared at Dan in disbelief. "You can't be serious." He muttered. "Why would you use _your _ninth wish for that? Shouldn't you wish to find Ru-"

"A genie must **not** question his master." Dan cut him sort giving him a reassuring grin.

"No such thing is mentioned in the handbook." Ace told him.

"You do have enough power to do that, don't you?" asked Dan impatiently. "Do as I say, genie."

Ace smiled at Dan gratefully. "You're too kind-hearted for your own good, you know." He then closed his eyes and started a fresh new chant. As he finished, the crack on the lamp deepened and it shattered. The pain that he'd been experiencing also disappeared.

He took in a deep breath of relief and then opened his eyes and looked in the direction where he thought Mira was. But there was no one there and his heart almost sank.

"She's behind you." Dan told him whilst chuckling.

Ace did a full 180 degree turn and there she was. Mira was standing there right before him, her short orange hair getting ruffled by the wind.

"Mira…" he called out, his face set in exultant joy.

Mira said nothing as she gazed at him.

He walked over to her and extended his hand towards her to see if she were real. He got proof soon enough from a shooting pain in his stomach. She had punched him hard and mercilessly. "You idiot!" she exclaimed as more tears rolled down her cheeks. "Idiot. .Idiot." she yelled each time she hit him.

Ace struggled with the feisty red-head and finally succeeded in pulling her into a hug. Mira ceased her hitting and a sob escaped her lips. "Idiot." She muttered as she surrendered her struggle and let her hold him close. "Idiot."

"I know…" he whispered. "I'm sorry…but it hurt me thinking that you were throwing away yourself for me…And-"

"Do you want another punch?" Mira threatened.

Ace laughed at her. "No princess." He spoke, fondling her hair softly.

Dan felt content at using his ninth wish for this purpose. "Ace, you'd better be careful of her violent streak."

Mira said nothing. She knew she had no right to clobber the person who had reunited her with her love.

"I know…." responded Ace chuckling. He'd never felt this happy before, and his face had never given so many consecutive smiles in over 235 years.

**That's it…So my prediction is that this story will last about two more chapters…or three, whichever works.**

**Thanks for your support. Yes, yes I know that most of you think I've undergone amnesia or something because of my uber late updates. Sorry about the delay, I'm sorry, I know making excuses is not good. But nevertheless, please do keep giving me your valuable support.**

**Please REVIEW.**


	16. Chapter 16

**One Fairy Tale Too Many **

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 16**

Julie gulped as she stared at the towering mer-king in mortal terror.

"And **YOU **are?" he thundered.

"Uh, just a passer by?" said Julie timidly.

"Quite the nerve you have to venture into the palace."

"I got lost?"

The King glared at her, long and hard. "You did? Alright then, you may leave."

Julie stared at the King in utter disbelief. _'That was easy.'_ She thought to herself. "Thank you uh, your majesty." she managed to splutter before rushing out the palace and stumbling through the forest of sea-anemones. She was still a mermaid now. What was she to do? She was barely managing the task of swimming through the ocean current- clinging frenziedly onto rocks, sea-weeds, anything and everything she could find. Inevitably Julie found herself completely and utterly lost.

"This is it! I can't swim anymore!" she declared to herself as she propped down on the sandy sea-bed. A faint song reached her sensitive mermaid ears.

'_A __desire may be a wish and may be not,_

_We sing the lament of a human's thought__._

_Follow the course of this subtle song,_

_And we swear it will do you no wrong._

_Allow us to redeem your mortal soul,_

_And give you what you wish, and more_.'

Julie felt almost entranced as she followed the song subconsciously. She soon found herself in a cave lit with crude green crystals. In the very middle sat a woman, an old woman with puckered lips, saggy skin, scaly hands and an all-knowing expression on her solemn yet sagacious face.

"Come on in, I can grant you your desire…Human."

Julie went in and stared curiously at the crystal ball. "Well, I need-"

"I know." The woman cut her short and pulled out a red velvet case and handed her a bottle with gruesome moss-green liquid in it. "Drink the whole bottle and you'll turn it into a human again."

"How…how did you know?"

"Divine will!" declared the woman with a string of disturbing cackles.

Julie laughed out of politeness mixed with a hint of apprehension as took hold of the bottle. "I need one more…Please?" She phrased her plea in the most beseeching voice she could muster.

"Demanding, aren't we?" the woman said stroking the crystal ball with her scaly hand. "All right…" she now snapped her fingers and an identical bottle with identical liquid appeared out of thin air.

Julie took hold of it as well. "Thank you."

"And now for the payment." said the woman displaying her putrid teeth in a toothy grin.

Julie gulped. "But…I…I…I didn't know that-"

"If you want something then you must sacrifice something of equal value." said the sea-hag. "I want that story you have." she demanded.

"The story?" Julie took a sheaf of Joe's papers out of her pocket and presented it to the lady. "This?"

"That's right…But there's more."

"No there isn't…"

The woman stared at Julie almost accusatively.

In the end Julie surrendered and gave her the rest of the papers which she'd been craftily hiding. "But please, just let me keep one? Please, just one measly page?" Julie pleaded.

"Very well…" the woman handed a single page which bore the fluid handwriting on it. "I'll also give you a bonus." She snapped her fingers and now presented Julie with a bottle filled with brownish black liquid. "Oh I'm just too generous!" she praised herself before looking at Julie with an all-knowing air. "This potion…Has the power to turn a human being into a cockatoo."

"A cockatoo?" Julie repeated in awe. "But, why would I need a potion like that? It's dangerous to say the very least, what if I were to drink it by accident?" exclaimed Julie. "Then I'd turn into a bird-brain; literally!"

"Take it, or leave it." said the woman craftily.

Julie's eyes shifted from the bottle to the woman and then back to the bottle. She then sighed. Bonuses, discounts, free merchandize, sales- these were all Julie's 'weaknesses'. There was no way she could turn down a free offer no matter how crude it was "Fine then." She snatched the bottle out of the woman's hand.

"Thank you." said Julie before running out of the cave whilst tucking the bottles into a belt that the sea-hag had given her.

"No mention…Deary." said the woman with a sly glint in her eye.

***~~X~~***

Alice wandered through the streets aimlessly. She had nowhere to goand her sanity would not permit her to go back to her Foster mother's house.

The invitation to Shun's wedding seemed to weigh as heavy as lead. Should she go? What was that point anyway? What good would come from it?  
She knew that she loved him; and that too irrationally, irrevocably and irreversibly. She doubted if she could recover from that kiss, ever. But then, circumstances… She paused her train of thought as a string of sobs reached her ears.

A boy was sitting on a bench, with face buried in his palm, crying bitterly. Alice couldn't bring herself to ignore him like all the passers-by. "What's wrong, dear?" she questioned softly.

The child sniffled. "My…pet bird is missing!" he wailed.

"Missing? How so?"

"I thought that she was at a friend's house."

"Your bird?"

"Yeah, that's what my sister told me…But my sis lied. I…feel so lonely."

"Shall I help you look for your bird then?" Alice asked kindly with a warm smile on her face.

"For real?"

"Sure."

The boy's face lit up exultantly as he took Alice's hand. "Thank you so much." He blushed realizing that he hadn't introduced himself yet. "My name's Christopher."

"I'm Alice... What kind of bird are we looking for?"

"A cockatoo." declared Christopher.

"It's time for the great cockatoo hunt."

***~~X~~***

Dan was now muddled. No matter how hard Mira tried she couldn't pin-point Runo's location on land; well it was only natural because Runo was now underwater in the deepest depths of the ocean.

"It's alright." Ace told Dan who seemed suddenly disheartened. "Joe's probably imprisoned her in some magical barrier."

Mira felt guilty about being unable to help Dan; after all, he'd given up a wish for Ace and her. It was then that a device in her belt began bleeping. She looked at it and let out a heavy sigh. "I have to go now…Duty calls."

Ace nodded knowingly.

Dan stared at him in awe. "You're going to let her go, just like that?"

"I'll wait until you've finished your tenth wish, Dan. Then I shall come to collect my fiancé." stated Mira smiling.

"Fiancé." exclaimed Ace blushing. "When did that happen?"

"Oh don't pretend to be surprised. As if you're going to even think of marrying someone other than me!" spoke Mira teasingly.

Ace chuckled at that tone in her voice. "True, but sometimes I wish you'd be a tad less self-confident."

"Not gonna happen." she declared whilst taking out her carrot. One wave of the orange vegetable and she was levitating in the air. She threw a little orb at Dan. "There's a cave near the forbidden forest. A cave you can't miss; it's shaped like a skull… That was where Joe was last sighted. If you're badly in need of assistance then contact me, I'll see what I can do."

"Yes Ma'm." nodded Dan.

"Take care, princess." Ace called out waving. She nodded at him. "You too, my knight."

After she left Ace turned to Dan. "Let's get going then."

"Hm...I'm grateful to you, obnoxious genie."

"Ditto you; naïve master."

Mira made her way up into the sky, higher and higher until she reached a huge and fluffy cloud. She landed upon it and was quite surprised to find a maiden with flowing golden hair and fairy wings waiting for her.

"My lady, what are you doing here?" questioned Mira to Aurora, the woman who had originally appointed her as Fairy Godmother.

"Mira my child, I've received wind that you're broken a few of the fairy laws."

Mira stared at the blonde fairy in astonishment. "I didn't mean to-"

"SILENCE!" interrupted another woman that stood behind Aurora. This other woman had green hair, beady black eyes and a face pasty with sweat mingled in make-up. She'd probably deny having sweated at all and say it was remainder of rain water from the clouds she travelled through, as was her nature- self-absorbed and conceited.. "Don't try to justify yourself. I was against having appointed you right from the start." She spoke, her face flushed up haughtily.

"But madam-"

"One, a fairy godmother is forbidden from appearing in front of a menial genie. Two, she is not permitted to help a human being out of the jurisdiction of her Godmother-ship. Three, she is to pay undivided attention to her Godchildren and help them occasionally but effectively. Four, she is not to play practical jokes on people. Some nerve you have to-" The green haired woman would have continued her irritatingly squeaky rant had the beautiful and thoughtful Aurora not intervened.

"Mira was only trying to help the one she loves. Please do not be too hard on her"

"That's a petty excuse for incompetence.."

Aurora sighed in resignation and placed a hand on Mira's shoulders. "Mira, you are hereby forbidden to use your fairy powers lest it be for Shun or Alice." Her words were soft yet stern at the same time.

The green-haired woman snorted. "No, I hereby modify that punishment. Your powers shall be hereby confiscated. You can't use your magic. All you may do is levitate and watch over your Godchildren without divine interference." Her face shone with contentment. "Turn in your carrot."

Mira nodded rather unwillingly knowing that there was nothing Aurora could do to help her in this situation. She handed over her carrot and curtseyed before levitating back to the earth. She made her way to the palace only to see Shun sitting in the throne room –his face filled to the brim with regret, his eyes prickled with tears of frustration that his pride refused to let him shed.

***~~X~~***

Julie knew not why she was endangering herself like this, but plainly, this **had** to be done one way or another. Presently she was sneaking into the mer-palace once more. Commanding her new found fins and tail was a hassle but she managed well enough.

Lucky for her, the maid she bumped into was a naïve greenhorn. She agreed to take Julie to visit Runo without a shred of resistance.

Julie soon reached Runo's room, it was quite elaborately decorated. "KAWAI~~~" was the first thing that emerged out of Julie's over-excited mouth.

Runo immediately ran towards Julie and engulfed her in a bear-hug. "Oh Julie! You're alright! I half feared that my Father would lead you to the gallows." Runo cried out.

Julie chuckled awkwardly. "You have gallows here? Well, glad to be alive." She then took out a bottle and displayed it.

Rune stared at the gruesome green fluid. She could never forget that rancid colour not in a million years. "That…Where did you get that from?"

Julie smiled at her triumphantly as she took hold of the blunette's hand. "Let's go. I can't wait to have legs again." she squealed excitedly.

Runo stared at Julie with a sort of lament in her eyes. "I'm not going." She muttered rather quietly.

"Say what?"

"You heard me." The emotion that shone in her eyes was determination "I…" she paused taking the time to convince herself of what she was implying. "I…I don't want to go back to the land again."

"Runo!" Julie exclaimed. "You can't be serious! I thought you loved Daniel and-"

"That's enough." yelled back Runo. "I do…I admit that. But…" tears rolled down her cheeks. "But I don't want to endure any more of this anguish or impart him any more dilemma …So, I'd rather just run away from it all…." More tears cascaded down her cheeks. "Please don't ask me to go back, Ju…Please."

"Runo…"

***~~X~~***

Mira stormed into the palace. "Stop wallowing in self-pity." she called out to Shun none too kindly. "If it is love that you wish to pursue then do so without ANY regret."

Shun stared at her. "It's you." he muttered, his voice blank and his expression even blanker. "Impossible… Not when my 'love' endangers every soul in this kingdom. Not when it is against my destiny."

Mira sighed seeing the prince's face. Her own inability to help anyone frustrated her. "Don't loose hope. One's destiny can be changed by one's own hands." she said softly.

He buried his face in his hands and took a deep breath. "But…I'm being forced to marry…**'her'**, that witch."

The hopelessness in his eyes and her own inability to help anyone frustrated her. She banged her fist hard on the wooden table. "Don't stop fighting till the end!" she declared. After a second or two, she blushed and settled down again. "Sorry about yelling like that." She spoke timidly, against her nature. "I'll let you in on a secret…Alice will attend your wedding."

"She will? Really?" Shun's face lit up for a brief moment but then the smile disappeared almost instantly. "So? It's not like it makes much difference… I won't be able to-"

"Well, we'll have to work something out then, won't we?"

"Miss Mira…" he smiled wearily. "It's nice to know I have someone on my side.

"So when's the wedding?"

"Tomorrow."

"Say what! On such short notice?" Mira exclaimed but then calmed down. "Alright then, I'll try and arrange a secret meeting for the two of you."

"Secret meeting…But then-"

Mira brought her index finger to his lips and shook her head from side to side. "No buts…No excuses."

Shun surrendered to Mira's will and agreed to have this 'secret' meeting with Alice prior to his wedding with Fabia. It would be his last opportunity to see the one he so completely adored. It saddened him, but one meeting was better than none.

***~~X~~***

"What did you say your cockatoo's name was!" exclaimed Alice to Christopher incredulously.

"Uh,,,Fabia." He muttered wondering why the gentle orange-haired girl had half-yelled at him.

"FABIA!" Alice repeated; her voice high and loud.

"What colour is she?"

"Black." replied Christopher immediately.

"A black cockatoo?" Alice scrunched up her eyebrows and narrowed her eyes. "A black cockatoo, really? I've never heard of one before."

Christopher stared at her defensively. "I'm not lying!"

"I wasn't implying that…" Alice spoke as she took in a deep breath to calm herself down.

She was over-reacting now and she knew it. Fabia was a pretty common name, sure enough. But the fact that the cockatoo had the name of her love-nemesis and was the same colour as Fabia's hair made Alice suspect the most irrational things.

She laughed awkwardly at her own stupidity. "Never mind…Let's search for her. Christopher." She spoke in an unusually high and distracted fashion. Although Alice had brushed away her suspicion for the time being there was still that residual nagging doubt in the back of her mind.

"Oh Fabia, why do you haunt me so even in your absence?" whispered Alice more to herself.

***~~X~~***


	17. Chapter 17

**Wow, ratings for this story are most definitely dropping. Well, it IS my fault for dragging out this storyline so endlessly.**

**I apologize for having let you down…**.**You must be viewing this story as a drag, a pushover no less. I am sorry, I really am. Please forgive me…But you must understand my circumstance. Alright, alright. No excuses this time.** **SORRY!**

**One Fairy Tale Too Many**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 17**

**Interlude- Revelations**

Tears cascaded down Runo's cheeks. "Please don't ask me to go back, Ju…."

"Runo…" Julie just stared at Runo. Just from her eyes she knew that Runo loved Daniel.

Joe's story… _'And so, six forsaken souls embarked upon a fruitless journey that would inevitably lead to agony alone.'_ The story, it seemed as if it had a tragic ending…And if so, that meant that- Julie didn't wait to complete her thoughts.

"RUNO…" she exclaimed. "You love him…You love Daniel don't you? NO obstacle must hider your path."

"Julie…but…" Runo paused, bracing herself for her lie. "You see, I don't love him." she muttered, her head facing the ground.

_**That**_ was the last straw; _that _was when Julie officially snapped. "Listen Runo, and listen good. I **will **get you back on land even if it means I'll have to forcefully empty that bottle of gruesome liquid down your throat, even if It means I have to drag you out there by your pectoral fins, even if it means that-"

Runo stared at Julie in horror. She knew from Julie's tone that she was dead serious. A part of her feared the exact bound of Julie's headstrong forcefulness.

Alright...I'll…go…" surrendered Runo. "But don't expect anything spectacular to happen."

"Good." said Julie as she ushered Runo out of the window. They swam to the surface of the ocean and settled on some rocks. "I didn't think breaking out of the palace would be this easy…" Runo muttered to herself. Normally her father had stacks of guards positioned all over… Why was he so unreliable just when she needed him the most? Damn that mer-king.

Julie unclasped her bag and handed Runo the green liquid.

"Cheers?" Julie laughed nervously as she stirred the potion.

Runo sighed. "uh….Bon Appetite?"

Gulp, gulp, and gulp. The potion was horrendous. And before they knew it they were both passed out in a strange cove.

***~~X~~***

To Christopher's dismay, his cockatoo was still missing after an entire day of searching. And he was crying like a spoilt little baby.

"Hey now…It's alright." comforted Alice.

Though she was smiling, her heart was quaking. She felt nothing short of curling up in a dark corner and crying her eyes out. Shun was getting married to Fabia…today. And she had decided not to use the invitation Billy had given to her. It wasn't at all logical for her to want to see Shun again, it was absurd.

After Christopher had dropped off to sleep there came a knock on the window. Alice was half-scared, half-surprised. They were on the third floor of a building. How could there be someone outside knocking on the window?

She opened it cautiously. She was surprised to find a sort of gold and silver vortex. Before she knew what was happening Alice was sucked into the magic portal. "AAaaahhh!" she screamed holding down her skirt.

Soon Alice hit solid ground. She coughed from all the silver smoke that hard entered her nose. "What….just happened?" she muttered to herself as she dragged herself back on her feet. She almost fell back down as her eyes fell on the amazed raven-haired prince staring back at her. "How…" The whole scenario was too unexpected that she could say nothing as her heart rate increased exponentially.

However Shun knew just how to react. He walked up to her and decisively pulled her into a hug.

"Y…your Majesty…" she stuttered, struggling in his arms. "Please…let go of me."

Shun said nothing as he held her securely despite all her wriggling.

"This…isn't right…" she begged. "Please-"

"I love you." he whispered softly into her ear.

She froze, her struggles ceased and in a few moments she broke down into tears, clutching at Shun. "This isn't right…" she cried. "You're getting married today. You shouldn't be telling **me** things like that."

Shun sighed. "I'm sorry for all this pain I'm causing you." he muttered, holding her closer. "I'm sorry…Please forgive me…Alice."

She closed her eyes. "I guess there is no fighting destiny….after all."

The prince looked regretfully at his one true love. He brushed her hair out of her eyes and smiled sadly. "I'm sorry…"

Alice gently detached his arms from around her. Staring right into his golden eyes she spoke. "Goodbye." She then turned around and summoning all her resolve walked away.

"Wait-"

"Don't stop me!" she cried, breaking out into a sprint.  
Shun stood there all alone. He felt tempted to run after her. He felt tempted to take her into his arms once more… But, it couldn't be helped. He knew that he couldn't, that he shouldn't go after her.

This was the end. Tears rolled down the prince's cheek as he admitted defeat. Destiny had sealed him, there was no escape now.

Mira watched from the sidelines. She half wondered if she really should have used the transportation gizmo to bring Alice here. It only seemed to induce Shun more heart-ache. Her Fairy God motherly magic had been sealed and she couldn't use it to interfere any further.

She felt awful as she watched Shun sink to his knees in agony. "I'm sorry…" she whispered.

***~~X~~***

Dan and Ace had finally made it to Joe's skull-shaped cave.

"That guy's a freaky interior decorator." commented Dan as he stared at the slightly disturbing paintings that hung on the wall.

Ace shrugged as he followed. "What now? What do you plan on doing?"

"Well, Runo's a prisoner here so... we have to free her first." Obviously, Dan didn't know that Runo had already half-escaped along with Julie. However what no one knew was that the cove where Julie and Runo were presently unconscious was just a stone's throw away from Joe's skull-shaped hideout.

"I was expecting you." Joe's smug voice echoed throughout the cave.

"Where are you, coward?"

"Do not think that you petty insults will draw me out…Daniel." He said whilst laughing. "Let's play a little game shall we?"

Dan laughed scornfully. "No thanks…I'll be more than happy just to kick your damn face into the dirt where it belongs."

"Barbaric." spoke Joe. "You must appreciate the artistic aspect of each spectacular word and not just spout out illiterate nonsense… I am right now amidst the completion of my most wonderful and tragic masterpiece." he spoke maniacally.

"As if it has anything to do with me." declared Dan.

"Oh, you have a lot to do with it….My protagonists- Daniel Kuso, Runo Misaki, Alice Gehabich, Shun Kazami, Ace Grit and Mira….I created you; **all **of you."

"So you don't know Mira's surname?" questioned Ace.

"That's not the point here." snapped Joe impatiently.

"So you don't..." jeered the genie. "Oh almighty creator of ours' does not know the name of his 'protagonist'. Pathetic don't you think?" He thought that Joe was more than a bit loony. Who in their right mind would claim stupid things like this?

Joe laughed. "You don't know how much work I put into every detail- your miserable lives; each little detail of each of your tragic past. They were all controlled by **my** words, by **my** story, by **my** imagination."

"Self-conceited much?"

Joe ignored Dan's comment and continued. "Each meeting, each shard of pain, each painful confrontation, every single nuance was **'my'** creation. All of you were mere players in my skit acting as per my instructions. At the end of the day, you people are nothing but vessels. You were created for the sole purpose of acting out my story and **that's it."**

"You mean…" Ace stopped short, his mind still racing, trying to figure out what was happening. There was something about what Joe said that was bothering him more than just a little bit. He remembered his father once telling him about the magic to make stories reality… The mythical fountain to make stories come to life; it was just a myth, an old wives' tale, right? He glared at Joe. "You mean; you have that magic fountain?"

"That's right…Back in my original world I possess that fountain." admitted Joe "This world isn't 'real'. It's just a story; a tragic story..."

Ace fell on his knees. "You mean to say-" his entire body was trembling with blinding rage. He balled his hand into a fist. "You mean to say that Mira and my suffering… 235 long years of suffering, years of longing to be together were nothing but a tale; a stupid story; an illusion!"

"Precisely."

"Ace…Pull yourself together. Ace." yelled Dan. "ACE!"

"Two hundred and thirty five years… two hundred and thirty five years. Do you have any idea how long that is!" Ace yelled furiously…He was obviously overwhelmed. "**Unacceptable**…I refuse to believe it…"

"Your love; it isn't real…" spoke Joe callously. "It's just an infatuation that was preprogrammed into that shell of a body…A predetermined inevitability. There is not a **shred** of truth in this **love** that you believed in so blindly…. Face the truth and experience agony." Joe's cruel laughter echoed throughout the cave.

Dan couldn't pretend that he wasn't shocked by this revelation…Was it true? Was Joe lying? Dan looked at his own hands. "He's lying…It can't be true…How can we not be real? It's absurd, how can we be that maniac's creation? Seriously Ace, it's such a stupid prospect." Dan's voice was trembling. Sure, there were instances in his life where things seemed to be just a story out of a book… But-

The laughter increased in volume and Joe soon emerged from amidst the darkness. "Shaken, are we?" he sneered. Before either Dan or Ace could react Joe threw a sheaf of papers at their faces.

The papers were filled with sprawls of tiny purple handwriting. "Read and weep." He sniggered.

Dan took hold of a paper and scanned it skeptically... _'__Daniel felt awful… He was the one who'd asked Alice to try and deceive Shun by putting on that act…But now she was hurt, badly at that. The brunet tried his best to console his new found friend…Unbeknownst to him; the mermaid princess was sitting behind the bushes watching the scene. Tears of betrayal dripped out of her aqua-marine eyes. Why, how could Daniel betray her like this? Her heart felt constricted and she-'Dan_ stared at Joe. "**What** mermaid princess?"

Joe chuckled. "Oh, you don't know, do you? Your little girlfriend is a mermaid by birth."

"What?"

Ace gripped one of the papers, his hands shaking. '_Forbidden love, such was the case between the royal guard and the young princess of the spirit world. Sneaking out to see one another, sitting together amidst the refreshing spring breeze, just seeing one another's smiling faces…That was all they needed. However disaster struck as soon as the King found out about his daughter's 'petty' love…He would make Ace suffer at __**any **__cost. The nerve the mangy royal guard had to fall in love with the princess!__'_

"Impossible." muttered Ace through gritted teeth as he struggled back onto his feet. "Unforgivable." He yelled charging at Joe with clenched fists. He was enraged alright.

Joe just stood there grinning. Ace was just one kick away from Joe when a huge hoard of rocks fell down out of nowhere and crushed him.

"Ace!"

"Your attacking me just now… I wrote that one, too…And of course, to ensure my safety I also wrote that the ceiling would cave in the exact moment you almost hit me. Crafty huh?" chuckled Joe.

Dan glared at Joe. He turned his attention to Ace who'd just barely managed to crawl out from under the rocks. "Get out of here, Dan…" he muttered. "Go while you still can."

"And you?"

Ace struggled back to his feet. "I got a score to settle. 235 years worth of a score." he spoke bitterly as he wiped the blood off his forehead.

"And you expect me to run away, huh Ace?" sniggered Dan rolling up his sleeves. "We'll take him out together…If he really is our creator…We'll take him down with us. We'll make it so that the tragedy in this tale is the death of its author."

Joe chuckled darkly. "Quite a foolhardy resolve, don't you think?" he then pointed to the right. "Hey, did I mention that I had lots of minions?" Just as Joe finished speaking an army of rock creatures came marching down the hall. They were all so toweringly humongous.

"Sure, now he tells us." spat Dan poising in attack stance.

And thus started an all-out battle against an author and his fictional characters… Were they all still acting in accordance with his story? Was freedom non-existent? Were all their feelings; all their experiences nothing but a lie?

**Phew…That was long wasn't it?**

**I know, I know the explanations were boring and more than just a little repetitive. But it was necessary. Sorry if I bored you.**

**Anyways, thanks for reading and don't forget to tell me exactly what you think.**

**REVIEW please.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers out there. Please don't think that don't appreciate the effort you put behind every word… Thank you...**

**And thanks to all those extra special associates who've added this story to their favourite lists and those who 'threaten' me to stop slacking off.**

**ON with the story.**

**One Fairy Tale Too Many**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 18**

**What Lies Ahead**

Julie groaned as she rolled on her back. Before she knew it she'd rolled off the ledge and ended up head first in the sea below. She immediately woke up, gasping and spluttering out the freakishly salty sea water. She scrambled back onto the ledge only to find Runo laughing her head off. "I didn't think you'd fall off, Julie….Honestly." the blue-haired girl giggled.

Julie pouted for a bit. "First thing's first." She declared taking out the part of the story that she still had. "We need to figure out what this is."

Runo stared at the page that related the evening she'd spent with Dan, the time she'd sit on the swing.

She turned to Julie wide-eyed. "What…Why? This is…what happened to me…Has someone been spying on Dan and me?"

"That's what we need to find out…"

The two girls walked away from the skull-shaped cave. They'd expected it to be deserted. After all, which sane person would live in the middle of nowhere in a cave shaped like a skull, no less?

Luckily enough they found their way out of the maze-like forest. When they reached back in the city Julie used her influence and got them a horse-cart. Julie stared at the sky. "It should be Shun's wedding today… I wonder if Billy'll be busy."

Runo smirked. "Oh I'm sure, he'll make the time if it's for you." she spoke nudging the silver-haired girl. Julie only giggled.

**XXX**

Julie barged into the palace where Shun was making some last minute arrangements for his wedding. "I need to borrow Billy for a while." she declared, forcibly tugging Billy out of the room.

Runo followed her, clearly impressed by the silver-haired girl's authority.

Billy studied the material carefully… He fingered the purple ink and frowned. "Impossible." He was an experienced dealer in unusual artifacts and well-versed with urban legends.

"It's a story."

"Duh, we knew that…"

Billy started explaining his suspicions on how the story influenced reality.

"You mean; the lives of the people mentioned can be controlled by this story?" asked Julie.

"No, their life **is** the story." He explained darkly. "These people…were created just to live out this story…None of them are real; they're just visual implications of the author's tale."

Runo's world literally fell apart into millions of shards of nothing. Tears cascaded down her cheeks as she crumbled into denial.

Unbeknownst to them, a Fairy Godmother stood with her back to the wall, her eyes wide and hand clutching at her heart. "Impossible…" she whispered. "It can't be true….How can Ace and I…" she broke down into tears as well.

"I must find Dan… The way I feel for him, the uncertainty that's clogging me, those are MY feelings…Not some stupid story!" yelled Runo before dashing out of the room.

Runo brushed past Mira, not even noticing her. Mira reached out to her hand and pulled her to a stop.

"Let me GO!" lashed out Runo.

"Listen to me!" ordered Mira just as fiercely.

They two girls glared at one another fiercely for a while before Mira broke out into a tired smile. "You'll find Dan at a skull-shaped cave."

Runo's eyes widened. "But how do you-" Runo stopped her query mid-way. "I know that place…" she said before running towards the exit. "Thank you!"

Mira sighed…She wanted to follow, she wanted to confirm this 'story' thing…But, she'd promised to help Shun, to watch over him. Apparently he and Alice were part of the story too.

Meanwhile Billy had ushered Julie out of the palace. On a horse, the duo sped towards a deserted lonely area.

"Billy?"

"Trust me…We have to find a way to change the tragic outcome of this tale."

Julie nodded as she encircled her arms around Billy and rested her cheek to his back as the horse sped through the forest.

***~~X~~***

The rock creatures were big, they were burly and it was hard for Dan and Ace to keep up with them. It took them long enough to dodge the attacks let alone attack back. And when they did attack back, it had just about much affect as a kitten hitting a rhinoceros.

Joe stood in the sidelines as he watched his two male protagonists struggle.

"Yo Ace, if I make a wish you can use your genie magic to destroy them right? 'I wish that-"

"Stop it." Ace cut him short. "It's your last wish numbskull…And even if I did make these golems disappear, this lunatic can still easily summon more creatures."

Dan grunted. "Can't you kill him or something?"

"Two forbidden wishes- Killing and inducing Love… That's basic knowledge."

"Well, excuse me for not being a freak."

"Shut up and fight."

***~~X~~***

Billy led Julie to a cave and placed his hand on a rock. "Close your eyes." He instructed.

Julie complied and when she opened her eyes again she found the scenery around had completely changed. There in front of them was a large mansion with numerous crescent shaped decorations on it.

"Where are we?"

Before Billy could answer her two little girls came out and forcibly pulled them inside.

"Welcome."

"Yes, welcome." –they chimed.

The little girls shoved them into a room only lit up dimly by some candles. In the front of the room sat a pale-faced woman with long raven hair and glinting red eyes. "Welcome to my shop…" she greeted, sucking on a queer stick.

"Greetings, witch of dimensions Yuko Ichihara." Spoke up Billy.

She nodded, acknowledging the title. "Your wish?"

Billy took out the bit of the story and gave it to Yuko, waiting for her to speak.

"A tragic tale." spoke the witch… "So, what exactly do you wish for?"

Billy considered for a bit… He knew that Yuko would only grant wishes if an equivalent price was paid in exchange. And if the wish was too exponential as 'making the characters of the story independent from their creator', he wouldn't possibly be able to pay the necessary price.

"I wish to know the outcome of this tale and possible means of altering their lives."

"In other words you wish to know the means of their deaths." clarified Yuko.

"So, the tragedy of the tale is their death?" questioned Julie.

"Apparently." Billy muttered. He then turned to Yuko. "Yes...That is my wish."

Yuko nodded. "The price for that…**'If'** the six of them find a path to be free from this story then only one of you can join them...The other must stays behind, entrapped in the chaotic story's world. Also, I stress the word **'if'**; they may not even escape at all."

"That's quite a heavy price." muttered Billy.

Yuko nodded puffing out a bit of smoke from her pipe. "That's because you not only wish to know the future but also the fate of six people...Wishes like that come with heavy prices."

Julie was more than a bit overwhelmed by all of this. She could barely keep up with what they were saying. "Wait Billy, think through things…If one of us-"

"I'll pay the price…I'll stay behind." Billy accepted the witch's price without paying the slightest bit of attention to Julie's plea.

"No wait!" Julie exclaimed but Billy only smiled at her, taking hold of her hand. "Don't worry… You'll be safe."

Julie narrowed her eyes. "THAT's not what I'm concerned about."

The witch twirled her long black hair between her fingers as she smirked, cutting off their quarrel. "I will tell you… I will tell you the means of their deaths… Here goes..."

She snaps her fingers and pieces of parchment appeared out of nowhere. "Here...This is a summary of the tale." She said, handing it to Billy.

Both Billy and Julie settled down on the couch and started reading.

'_The first to die is __the prince Shun Kazami. He is stabbed to death by Fabia, the one who could no longer bear to witness others' happiness. After murdering the prince she takes her own life by means unknown... Alice Gehabich was devastated by the death of her prince. It was always like this for her, her happiness never lasted long. She was a condemned soul...condemned to suffer. Having the most precious thing snatched cruelly away from her like this shook her to the core._

_Realizing that Alice was inconsolable Mira fleed to find the green-haired genie; to ensure that he was safe._

_Sitting right there in the altar, she wept for days over Shun's death, holding his lifeless body close. And then one day, she completely lost her mind, her sanity._

_She never moved from the altar; never let the construction workers take the wedding decorations down and never let another person closer than ten feet near her beloved's corpse. She spent her remaining days next to the corpse of her dead prince- talking, laughing and crying under the false illusion that he was still alive__.__ And then one day she mysteriously disappeared along with Shun's body.'_

'_Meanwhile, the other protagonists spent their time in a futile struggle against their creator. Foreseeing the fata__lity of the situation, Daniel Kuso used his final wish. He asked the genie Ace Grit to __'__keep Runo Misaki safe forever__'__ and to keep her out of harm's way. Ace therefore enclosed Runo in an invisible box despite her protest._ _Now Ace had no more obligations to help Dan yet he continued fighting._

_To her utmost horror Runo spots a hexed snake heading towards Dan. Despite her desperate banging on the walls of the invisible box Dan couldn't hear her- Ace had made it soundproof so that they wouldn't have to listen to Runo's whining; big mistake._

_Without even knowing it__,__ Dan is poisoned by the snake and further gets flung to the edge of a cliff, hanging by just one hand. As the poison takes effect, he finds his strength failing and fingers slipping._ Within moments the brunet falls **off** the cliff.

"_ACE, help him!"__shrieked Runo__,__ hoping that the genie could hear her despite the soundproof box._

_In sudden reflex Ace used his magic to save Dan and brought him back onto solid ground. Instantly a bone-wrenching pain engulfed the genie._

_It was only then that Mira Clay reached the scene. Already hysterical from Shun's death Mira reached the place just in time to see the Head Genie appear before Ace._

"_Ace Grit. You having committed the utmost taboo at having grante__d your former master a 11__th__ wish are sentences to 10,000 years in hell- effective immediately." declared he in a booming voice._

Ace just stood there, wide-eyed and unable to react.

"_No..."muttered Mira, her voice breaking... Tears cascaded down her cheeks.__ "NO!" she shrieked. She knew full well that the average spirit only lived for about 2,000 years... So...She'd never be able to see Ace again...All this waiting was for nothing? She couldn't believe it._

_Seeing her devastated state Ace turned guiltily to the ground. "Forgive me."_

"_NO! Please no...No..." she watched as the genie disappeared, to serve his sentence in hell. Very soon her sobs transformed into chuckles and soon into hysterical laughter dripping with misery. Without thinking she reached over to a random sharp skewer that lay on the ground and plunged in into her own heart. She dropped to her knees and very soon disappears into sparkled._

"_Miss Mira..." muttered Dan. He had by now realized that he was about to die as well...He just managed to stumble towards Runo. With eye-sight failing and breath fleeting he mouthed the words 'I love you Runo' before dropping to the ground- lifeless._

_Runo couldn't get out...She was still trapped in the invisible box. Dan had wished for Ace to keep her safe 'forever' and thus, the box was designed to keep her safe until the genie wished otherwise. But now the genie, the source of the magic was gone...And Runo was trapped...forever... Forever trapped with the corpse of her beloved in front of her eyes, unable to touch him to even to shoo away the vultures that flocked around him. And then just like that, she died of starvation next to Daniel's decayed body.'_

Crystal clear tears ran down Julie's cheeks as she clasped her hand to her mouth. "That sounds horrible."

Billy was also rather taken aback at the intensity of the 'tragedy'. "And how can this be prevented?"

"Interference." answered the witch. "Interference by a third party **may **be able to change things... But all that depends on the decisions that you may make. The outcome may vary... It's up to you."

"Right..." Billy's hands clenched into fists. "Let's go Julie... We've got to-"

"I know...We have to do everything we can." interceded Julie.

"Also..." Yuko paused to gain their attention. "**If** you succeed in altering their lives to a certain extent, **'if'** ever there is a practical way to escape, if **destruction** reigns in that story world of yours then _something as blue as the bright blue sky___**may**___come to your aid_."

XXXX

Shun felt completely haggard. He was getting married to Fabia for crying out loud. And to make matters worse he felt utterly lonely, all alone… He stood at the shady altar, waiting for the inevitable horror that awaited him.

Alice stood in a shady corner of one of the balconies as she watched Shun.

The band started playing 'Here comes the bride' as Fabia paced down to the altar none too shyly. She held her chin high as she blew flying kisses to all in the crowd.

Just as Fabia neared the altar, her foot caught on something, and she stumbled. 'Flop', she landed face first into her strawberry wedding cake.

The crowd went silent for a second or two before bursting out into a fit of laughter.

Shun studied the ground and spotted a red rock adeptly camouflaged with the carpet, a very convenient rock. He looked around until he spotted Mira on a not-so high balcony. She winked at him giving off a victory pose.

He gave her a thumbs-up, laughing helplessly.

Fabia stood up, her body dripping with cream… She whirled around just in time to see the little exchange between Shun and Mira. "You deceitful fiends!" exclaimed the enraged strawberry covered bride.

"You asked for it…" she shrieked raising her arms into the air. She glared at Shun. "I'll activate the magic circle of torture now."

"No wait…Fabia!" yelled Shun in horror. "WAIT, I'll do as you say…"

"I want a public apology." she declared.

Before Shun could concede Mira jumped down from the balcony. "What magic circle?" this was the first she'd heard of it.

Shun explained everything to her and Mira started laughing. "Really? Then go ahead Fabia….Unleash your little magic circle. Let's see."

"Mira what are you-"

Mira cut the prince short. "Do it, Fabia." said the Fairy, her eyes gleaming.

Fabia looked first in one direction then in another, she was busted. She stood still, with her arms raised…What was she to do?

"Fabia…You know that the spell does not work on human beings." spoke Mira coolly.

"What the?" exclaimed Shun.

The assembled crowd was quiet. They could make neither head nor tail of what was going on.

Fabia brought her hands to her sides, trembling with rage and humiliation. All she wanted was to live life as a human… "Get out of here…." She shrieked at the crowd. "All those, who fail to leave in the next five minutes, shall be **beheaded**!"

The townspeople started panicking hearing the term 'behead'.

After the crowd had dispersed the only ones in the vicinity were Mira, Shun and Fabia. Hot tears ran down Fabia's cheeks as she fell to her knees, gripping at the dirt with her hands…Was it over?

Alice cautiously leaned over the balcony to take a look at what was happening when her eyes met Shun's.

Alice smiled softly realizing that Fabia's threat was a fluke. She and Shun could…be together…finally.

He returned the smile and motioned for her to join them.

She nodded and proceeded towards the stairs when Shun yelled "Wait…"

Alice blinked in confusion and her face flooded with surprise once she heard Shun's next statement- "Jump…. I'll catch you; promise."

Alice shook her head frantically from side to side. But as their eye-contact prolonged, as she saw more of that ecstasy in his eyes she felt inclined to concede. She gulped as she stood up on the railing.

Mira couldn't help but giggle as she saw the beet-red blush on both their faces.

Then Alice jumped and true to his word Shun caught her bridal style. He brought his face closer to hers. "Love you."

The blush on Alice's face deepened as she encircled her arms around the prince's neck. "I love you too…"

That's when Fabia finally broke… All that mushy, gooey happiness around her; she couldn't take anymore. She could no longer bear to watch others living with joy that she'd never been entitled to.

She stumbled to her feet and from out of nowhere pulled out a dagger. No more; she couldn't take anymore. No one noticed that the self-proclaimed princess now held a weapon in her hands.

Brandishing the dagger she charged in Shun and Alice's direction. "Die you humans!" she shrieked.

**Phew...How was that? Did any of you predict that I'd reveal the means of all their deaths? Cause I sure as heck didn't****...**** Lolz...**

**And yeah, Witch of dimensions Yuko Ichihara comes from Tsubasa Chronicles (or xxxholic) I 3 Tsubasa. I've always been fascinated by her 'equivalent exchange' wishes- "If you want something then you must give up something of equal value." Same applies for "Full Metal Alchemist" no?**

**Anyways guys...I hope ya'll haven't deserted me. And thank you for enduring my delays. Life is Hectic and what not. **

**REVIEW please. **


	19. Chapter 19

**One Fairy Tale Too Many**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 19**

There it was... The skull-shaped cave, standing strong and proud in all it's skull-shaped glory. Runo didn't think twice about her confrontation before running inside. She sighed as she realized that her mer-sisters were right, she really **was** head-strong.

"Looks like we have another guest." snickered Joe.

"More freaks?" questioned Dan. When he managed to sneak a look at the entrance his jaw dropped in surprise. He was **so** stunned that he almost got crushed by one of the rock creatures."RUNO!"

"Pay attention to the battle, numbskull!"

"Uh right..." muttered Dan as he struck at the golem with a stick that he found lying around. And guess what happened? That's right; the stick broke in two. "Run away!" he called out to Runo.

"Yeah right, as if I came all the way here to RUN!"

"I guess...You should be told of the 'story' too." muttered Joe, bracing himself to do the story revelation again.

"Don't you dare!" roared Dan ominously as back-flipped charging at Joe with newfound vigour. "You won't live that long!"

"Oh yeah? And just what do you plan to do with you bare hands?"

"This." yelled Dan, punching Joe right in the face sending the novelist flying to the ground.

Joe held his right cheek with an incredulous look on his face. "That...wasn't...that wasn't supposed to happen." He muttered to himself. Dan punching him was apparently not mentioned anywhere in the story.

Dan took hold of Joe by the collar ignoring the golems that were charging at him. "You breathe one word to **'her'** and you die."

"Look out Dan!" yelled Runo and he jumped away just in time to avoid being squished to a pulp. "You idiot! Be more careful!"

"Uh...Sorry." he apologized with a smile.

"And, I already know... About the story I mean." A serious look appeared on Runo's face. "And it doesn't change anything. Not my outlook and most certainly not my feelings for you." Her aquamarine eyes were locked with Dan's amazed brown ones.

"You're still mad?"

"Not so much..." she smiled at him.

"Wait...How come you can talk?"

Runo couldn't help but burst out into laughter despite the grim atmosphere in the room. "You only just realized? You're really something you know..."

"How...How does she know? She shouldn't know that she's a creation until** I** tell her...And, the revelation is supposed to freak her out... She's not supposed to accept Dan with a smile. Where's all the suffering, the torture?" muttered Joe to himself.

Ace chuckled, he didn't know why Joe was freaking out but nonetheless he thoroughly enjoyed that incredulous disappointment on his face. "Why are you so surprised, oh mighty author?" mocked Ace with a wide smile.

'_Why...why are things not going according to my plan? Why are there deviations in the story? It isn't right...Don't tell me...'doubts'._

***~~X~~***

"We'd better split up now..." muttered Billy looking at the ground. "You go to the palace. I will go and see this deranged writer."

"Billy..."

"And remember...I'm the one who will stay behind and pay Yuko Ichihara-san's 'price', not you alright?"

"I never agreed to that..." she spoke, her face level and her eyes serious.

"Listen Ju-"

Billy stopped short in shock as she pressed her lips to his. "Love you." she muttered before running away in the direction of the palace.

Billy couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips. "Julie..." He took in a deep breath before he started heading towards his destination as well.

***~~X~~***

Elsewhere the atmosphere was peaceful, calm and serene. The joyous chirping of birds reached the hospital room despite the closed windows... Sitting upright on the bed was a man clad in patient's clothes, his face buried in his hands... He had off -blonde hair and his eyes were...it would perhaps be more convenient to say that **he** was Joe, the novelist.

"This is not what I wanted to happen." muttered Joe, his voice muffled. "It wasn't supposed to turn out this way."

Beside him sat a girl clad in a sky blue dress. She watched silently as tears trailed down Joe's cheeks.

"I...I've always been...jeered for the stories I wrote." spoke Joe. "All I could inscribe were childish fairy tales. Flower fairies, pixies, forgotten goddesses, enshrined spirits…pathetic. The world haunted me because '**that****'** was all I was capable of... So I wished to change... For once in my wretched, uninspired life I wanted to write a 'tragedy'. I wished to impart suffering to my characters- they were only creations after all, it was only a story."

The girl said nothing as Joe continued to speak. "But then, when I stumbled on the fountain I was enraptured. I had finally found something mystical that would probably make my 'story' worthwhile, I suddenly felt overwhelmingly inspired... And I started; I started writing the most doomed tragedy I could imagine- at first giving the characters happiness only for it to be utterly crushed in the end. Fear, remorse, regret and painstaking guilt- those were the themes. However, it was only after I reached halfway through the story that I realized the fountain was actually capable of creating an alternate world. Whatever I wrote came true in **that** world...People suffered needlessly, shed tears and endured heartache because of what **I** wrote. Realizing that, I was revolted... So much so, that I suspended the story. I left it incomplete." Joe paused for breath. He didn't know why he was telling all this to that girl, that girl who hardly even said anything in response. He reached to the bedside and pulled an oxygen mask over his mouth and nose and started inhaling hard.

"You shouldn't push yourself." She spoke, standing up and walking to the nearby window. "I know what happened next; I sensed it that's why I came here."

Joe stared at her as she twirled a strand of her hair between her fingers. She started speaking. "That magical fountain has a soul entrapped within it, one that is adamant on literary perfection, one that under no circumstance would accept a story on hiatus. When it realized that you'd completely deserted that story, the soul was enraged... It took maters into its own hands. It created an alternate version of 'you'. A different 'Joe' who was almost maniacally obsessed with the forthcoming tragic ending... And that 'Joe' is now doing what you couldn't. He's making those people suffer...And soon, he'll play a part to kill them all... Isn't that right?" her voice was sever and deadly serious. Despite being much younger than the 21 year old author she still made him feel guiltier with her grave eyes.

Joe could only nod as he pulled the oxygen mask off. "This is not..." his voice cracked. "This is not what I wanted." More tears rolled down his cheeks.

Her expression softened a bit as she sighed. "I know." Her eyes locked with his. "But still, it's unforgivable for an author such as yourself to doubt your ability... Leaving a story unfinished is an author's cardinal sin. If you were so unsatisfied with your tragic ending all you had to do was change it. If you had done that then none of this would've been happening." She paused seeing the miserable look on his face. "I'm sorry... I know you're already suffering enough without my accusation..."

"No, it's alright... Although being scolded like this by a 17 year old is sort of embarrassing."

"Listen, get well soon alright? Take care of your health."

"You do know that I'll die soon, right? That's what the doctor said...my days are 'numbered'."

"Regardless... Subconsciously you might've left a few loopholes in the story."

"?"

"Like characters that'd once been introduced and not mentioned in the tale thereafter. If that alternate world exists, then decisions, actions of those kinds of characters may well change the tale."

Joe nodded. "I'll hope for that...But as long as I'm alive, that alternate 'me' will also thrive." Just as he finished speaking Joe's eyes widened in sudden realization. "Wait; if I die than can **they** be saved?"

The girl frowned at his line of thought. "Don't be ludicrous." She snapped. "If you, the creator were to die before the story's completion then their world would fall into **nothingness**."

"Huh..."

"Their world will crumble, everything will become non-existent. They will be erased, so death is not an option do you hear?"

A feeble flame of hope appeared in Joe's eyes as he half-pleaded to her. "Then can you interfere?"

The girl stood up from her chair. "I'm a 17 year old girl, what do you expect **me** to do?" she muttered before walking out the room, her black hair whipping in the wind.

Joe settled back into bed. "Forgive me...I shouldn't have even asked you that."

***~~X~~***

No one noticed that as Fabia now held a weapon in her hands.

Brandishing the dagger she silently charged in Shun and Alice's direction. "Die you humans!" she muttered.

She swung the dagger, but to her surprise something bright and pink intercepted it... It was an umbrella?"

The umbrella was cut in two and Fabia saw the culprit. Why that no good silver-haired princess...she'd pay, Fabia lunged in her direction.

"Julie!" Shun called out in surprise. His face darkened on seeing the Fabia charge in Julie's direction with the dagger.

Julie gulped as she somehow evaded the attack. She felt her ankle twist –jumping around in heels wasn't exactly the best idea. Great, her leg couldn't have sprained at a worse moment. When the next strike came, she could no longer dodge... She froze in horror as the blade inched closer to her.

Very soon, she found herself pushed onto the ground by Mira who'd managed to intervene. And in front of them stood Shun; his hand clutching at his shoulder. Julie couldn't help but gasp in terror as she noticed the blood that tricked down Shun's sleeve; the dagger was embedded in his flesh.

"How dare you." he spluttered to Fabia. "You almost killed my best-friend." he muttered pulling the dagger out of his body. "I won't forgive..." Before Shun could complete, he fell to the ground, unconscious.

"No! This can't be happening!" yelled Julie in incredulity. "I failed? No, he can't be dead." She somehow stumbled to her feet and despite the mind-numbing pain she reached his side. "No please, you can't die. You have no idea of all the sadness that follows your death. Shun can you hear me?" she shook Shun gently. "Please wake up."

Alice stood there, rooted to the spot, tears of disbelief in her eyes. In about a second or two her knees gave way and she fell to the ground.

Fabia chuckled and it soon gave way to a deranged string of maniacal laughter. "Die!" She cackled in contentment, however there were tears running down her cheeks.

"You fiend!" cried Mira as she held Fabia by the hem of her wedding gown. "What the hell is wrong with you, deranged freak?"

"Go on, kill me..." urged Fabia. "It's better that living in a cage in that snobby **brat's** house."

Alice raised her head to Fabia, her face expressionless. "So...Fabia, you **are **a cockatoo, aren't you?" Alice's knees trembled as she stood up and took hold of the dagger. She slowly wiped her beloved's blood on her dress. "You do not deserve to die by the same dagger that stabbed my prince... But...I must have revenge."

Mira stared at Alice in exasperation. Had the girl lost her mind? The sweet Alice would never even think about having revenge let alone proceed to kill someone.

Alice advanced in Fabia's direction, her eyes intrepidly blank. "Move aside..." she pushed Mira to the side despite her protests. "You...witch...I will..." she held it at Fabia's throat. "I will..."

"Stop it; **silly**...I haven't left you, not yet..." came Shun's voice as he sat up with Julie's help. "Alice...let go of the knife." He commanded, his eyes locking with hers. "Now."

She stared at Shun, her lips trembling and her expression wavering... "I..."

"Stop it, don't so something you'll regret. Your hands, they shouldn't be stained with blood. I won't allow it...Let go of it, Alice..."

Tears started free-falling from Alice's eyes as the dagger fell from her grip. "I'm sorry..." She closed her eyes and sank to the ground beside Shun, crying. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright..." he spoke as he petted her hair. "I'm fine..."

Julie smiled softly. Upon seeing that look on Shun's face she knew that he'd be alright. "The wound isn't as fatal as you imagine, Ju." He'd told her right after he'd awakened. "I'll live."

Julie let out a deep breath of relief. Had she actually succeeded in altering their destinies? Well, Shun wasn't dead, Alice had almost gone berserk but her mind was at present intact, Mira was still holding Fabia captive... Could she be relieved? No, she could only be absolutely sure if there was no more threat of Shun being killed by Fabia. Something had to be done about the black-haired princess, but what?

That was when Alice's strange words rang in her mind. "Wait, what was that about a cockatoo?" exclaimed Julie.

Alice wiped away her tears. She'd finally calmed down. "I think Fabia's not really human... She's a cockatoo."

"Well that'd explain the squeaky voice." commented Mira.

"Is that true?"

Fabia said nothing as she tried struggling against Mira's strong grip all of no avail.

Julie smirked as she took out the bottle that the old sea-witch had given her. "This potion." announced Julie raising the bottle into the air and shaking it a little. "It can turn a human into a cockatoo."

"Say what?"

Julie slid the bottle towards Mira. "Make her drink."

"NO!" squeaked Fabia. "I'd rather die that go back to being a bird!"

"You're already a bird-brain. It's not like it's going to make much difference." muttered Mira coldly. "For all the suffering you dished out, it's only fair that you suffer a little in return." She pressed the bottle against Fabia's mouth.

"NO! All I wanted to do was enjoy life...To be human, to love and be loved."

Julie stared at her sympathetically. "Fabia...You have to admit, your methods were wrong."

Fabia stared at Julie for a while, her face set in understanding. But then once again that deranged expression returned into her features. "What difference does it make anyway?" she exclaimed as she snatched the bottle out of Mira's hand.

For a second everyone doubted if she'd force-feed Mira. But contrary to their expectations Fabia gulped it all down in one go. "**This** is only a **story **after all..." she cackled. "Don't think you've got your happy ending yet... Soon Joe will **die **of illness and when that happens this world will disappear. You can never find happiness, you hear that? NEVER!"

Julie's eyes were wide. "Wait, Fabia... What did you say? This world will disappear if we kill the author? Fabia! Answer me!"

Fabia smirked in satisfaction as she saw the panic etched into Julie's features. "Actually the real 'author' Joe is on his death bed... He'll die soon regardless of what **you** do here... It's inevitable. Everything will end soon, even if you change the story... Even if you manage to save everyone from their respective 'tragedy', this world will still end and you'll **still **fall into **nothingness.**" And with that her form began to change. She squawked as her body transformed into that of a black cockatoo. "Brace yourselves, only annihilation awaits." And with that, the bird flew away.

"What was all that, Ju?" questioned Shun. "Ju!"

Julie couldn't answer as tears rolled down her cheeks... Was it all for nothing? Could they really not be genuinely saved? Would the world soon come to an end regardless of their struggle? "Impossible..."

**IMPT NOTE- ****'crystal-mist'** is planning to go **MIA** from **March** till **April** attributing to finals and college entrance exams :P So please forgive me. I promise to continue all my stories right after April. I sincerely apologize. For those who might want a head's up when I decide to return, tell me. I'll PM you. (I'm expecting too much aren't I? *nervous laugh*)

**Please everyone pray for my success!**

**Thanks for reading. Please tell me what you think.**

Leave a REVIEW please.


	20. Chapter 20

I would like to give a HUGE shout-out to **Clovergirl100**: Your review for the 18th chapter really sparked my imagination and BAM I was struck with untimely inspiration. Also, you endured my ranting about Vezarius Inferno and gave me a lot of amusing suggestions. Thank you!

So, I'd like to dedicate this to you, **Clovergirl100** and to all those who 'threatened'/'requested' me not to kill off the characters.

**One Fairy Tale Too Many**

**crystal-mist**

**Chapter 20**

Dan and Ace couldn't destroy so much as a single rock creature. And the battle kept seeming more and more hopeless by the moment.

"Look out!" yelled Dan as he dived in Runo's direction pushing her away from one of their attacks. All of a sudden, a strange seriousness crossed Dan's face. "You should leave...it's too dangerous."

"Never! I won't leave yo-" Runo stopped short when Dan pulled her into a hug.

"Please...I beg you." pleaded Dan.

Runo's heart was beating like crazy, the warmth of Dan's body almost robbed her of her her ability to refuse his request. "No." she managed to blurt out.

Dan took in a deep breath. He'd already realized that this battle couldn't be won, not at this rate. Having **both** Ace and Runo risk their lives was foolhardy...There was no point anymore. "Ace, I've decided my final wish."

Ace momentarily paused and stared at his master's face. What was that idiot planning?

"I wish, that you cast some sort of spell to keep Runo safe, after which you go back to Mira immediately."

Joe stared at Dan dubiously. Wait, did he **not **use the term **'forever'**? That means- even after Dan dies and Ace gets dragged off to hell there would be a minute possibility for Runo to be set free. Well, that didn't matter- Joe had a sword, he could always run it through the little mermaid's heart.

"But, Dan!" exclaimed Runo seeing the seriousness on his usually carefree face. "That's just absurd."

Ace glared at Dan. "So after granting the wish, you want me to leave this battle to **you**?" he studied Dan's face. "Like that's ever going to happen, you half-wit." Ace swished his hand to the side, some sparkles flew out and enveloped Runo. "Only ONE wish per try..." he muttered coolly.

"What? You guys!" yelled Runo as she desperately struck the walls of the invisible box. She was well and truly trapped. "Why? This is unfair!" Runo was shrieking at the top of her voice, but the noise didn't escape the confines of the container –it was soundproof after all.

'_Now I can go back to the spirit world if I want to__...' _thought Ace to himself. _'But not before I take my revenge on this __freak__.'_

Unbeknownst to Dan, a snake snuck up on him... No amount of hitting the invisible box on Runo's part alerted him. The snake bit his leg, injecting its lethal venom into his blood.

In the very next moment one of the creatures punched the ground, rocks were sent flying everywhere. Then with one kick, it sent Dan flying off the edge of a cliff. Dan managed to grab hold of the rock but couldn't summon enough strength to pull himself up.

Slowly Dan felt his strength failing. His body was trembling- hanging from the cliff wasn't exactly the easiest thing to do in a post-poisoned situation. _'No.'_ He thought to himself, he could feel the poison's effect taking over, and his fingers were beginning to slip. _'I mustn't loose...I..'_ his eyes were getting heavy and his head was spinning. 'I guess, this is...goodbye.'

"ACE, help him!" shrieked Runo, hoping that the genie could hear her despite the soundproof box. "PLEASE!"

Ace whipped around just in time to see Dan's hand give away. In sudden reflex he extended his hand and almost conjured up a spell...

"WAIT!" shouted someone from somewhere. Before anyone could realize what was happening, an oversized bird appeared from the other side of the cliff. Between its claws it held Dan, who was now struggling to breathe. The guy who was perched on the bird's back pulled Dan up and stuck a needle between his shoulder blades.

Dan cried in momentary pain but the anguish on his face soon eased up as he fell unconscious.

"What the?" Ace stared in surprise at the guy whose long blond hair was fluttering in tune to the wind, his bright blue eyes sparkling. Ace soon recognized him as prince Shun's faithful assistant, Billy.

"Don't be alarmed. I'm here to help." announced Billy, jumping down to the ground.

In the very next moment Dan's eyes fluttered open and he scanned his surroundings in alarm. He gingerly pulled out the needle that was still embedded in his flesh. "What the heck is **'this'**?" he yelled shaking his fist threateningly at Billy. "You can't just go shoving sharp objects into people's bodies without warning."

"That was ANTI-VENOM." yelled back Billy. "I saved your life, you ingrate."

Dan's eyes widened in alarm. "Oh...Uh...Really? Thanks then." He stood up on the bird's back and stretched himself. "Hm...yeah, I feel amazing." he said with a huge smile.

Billy turned to Joe and smiled at him almost mockingly. Once Dan's death was avoided then the whole chain-reaction should come to a stop- provided that Julie had succeeded in her part of the bargain.

Now all that remained were the rock creatures and the deranged novelist.

Joe stood there almost bewilderedly. His eyebrows were twitching in horror. What was this unexpected twist? This wasn't supposed to happen. That good for nothing blond pest wasn't supposed to show up. Why, he wasn't even a 'main' character. Impossible! **How** could he have showed up? He was so engrossed in disbelief that he didn't hear the conversation between the newcomer and the _protagonists_.

"Ace, can you withdraw that invisible box from around her?" asked Billy gesturing to Runo.

"Yes, if Dan wishes so." answered Ace, wondering why this person knew his name.

"Tell your genie to free her." said Billy, turning to Dan.

"But why would I-"

"I saved your life, remember? So please, trust me, Daniel."

Dan studied Billy's expression for a while and soon sighed in defeat. "Fine, set Runo free."

When the deed was done, Runo flew at Dan, her hands at his collars half-strangling him. "Why, you think I'm a damsel-in-distress-type, do you? I ought to-"

"Can we save this for later?" asked Billy, an anime-vein popping on his forehead. "Now Runo, sing a song."

"What?"

"Just do it..."

Runo shrugged as she released Dan from her death-grip. "Fine." And with that she started singing a beautiful song. The wind started picking up pace and the rock creatures started falling apart bit by bit until they fell into a huge pile of dust.

"Impossible!" shrieked Joe, his voice unnaturally high. "What's going on? How can a **stupid** song do this?"

"What just happened?" Dan and Ace exchanged puzzled glances.

Billy only smiled all-knowingly. _'The song of a mermaid can melt away __a golem__'__s heart and body like fire melts butter.'_ he thought to himself. _'__In this world, anyone well-versed with legends knows that.'_ (A/N: An improvised prophecy. Don't think there is any solid mythical truth/proof behind it.)

Joe was now utterly defenceless...He started laughing maniacally. His perfect tragedy having been destroyed had clearly thrown him off his rockers. 'You wretched cockroaches!" he yelled pulling out a purple pen and a piece of parchment. _'Runo found herself immobilised for some strange reason.' _he wrote and Runo could no longer move an inch. "And she abruptly died of a heart-attack." dictated Joe as he started writing the sentence.

But before he could complete the word 'died' he found himself struck to the ground by Dan. Ace pulled the purple pen out of Joe's hand and stared at it for a while before throwing it to the ground.

"NO!" Joe cried as Ace brought his foot down on the pen with much force, snapping it in two. "Bye, bye root of all evil." he smirked.

Billy unsheathed a sword and walked towards Joe. The only way to ascertain that the story would no longer embark upon its tragic end again was to do away with the author. He held the sword at Joe's throat, not knowing that their world would be destroyed soon after he killed its creator.

***~~X~~***

Back in the hospital room Joe was sitting up in bed with a soft smile on his face. He turned towards the girl who had once again come to visit him, the girl who was clad in blue clothes.

"Looks like something good happened to you." she spoke, returning his smile.

A single tear rolled down Joe's cheek. "The tragedy...I think, it is no more."

She nodded in satisfaction.

"Now all I need to do is..." a string of coughs preventing him from speaking any further. "..write..paragraph-" he spoke, amidst his cough attack. "...'."

The girl nodded at him. "I'll get the pen for you." she said standing up.

"No...Wait!" Joe called out after her. "Something's wrong." he spluttered, clutching at his own shirt. "My time... my time is up, I can just feel..." before he could complete the sentence he fell back onto the bed, breathing heavily, his face contorted in pain. More coughs ripped through his throat. "Please do something, crys-"

"I am a seventeen year old girl. What do you expect me to do?" she asked Joe softly, her expression almost sad.

"You can-" he spoke with a hopeful smile. "-complete a happy ending."

The girl watched as Joe's eyes started closing shut. "Hold on a little longer?" she half-pleaded, clearly regretting all the harsh things she'd told him the previous day.

"I'll try." he coughed. "Please do what you can."

***~~X~~***

Billy stared at Joe in surprise. Why wasn't he trying to fight back? Had he actually given up? Had he finally forsaken his attempt at creating a tragic ending?

Runo, Dan and Ace could do nothing but stand back and watch.

"No STOP!" shrieked Julie, running there at top-speed, followed by Mira, Shun and Alice. "DON'T Billy! Don't kill him..." she shrieked at the top of her voice. "If you kill him, this world will collapse. We'll ALL die!"

But it was too late. Billy had already plunged the sword into Joe. He turned towards Julie, his face streaked with Joe's blood, his expression somewhat blank.

Julie froze in her tracks; she stared at him, petrified in horror. "NO."

Julie's words rung in Billy's mind time and time again. _'If you kill him then this world will collapse. We'll ALL die!'_ Billy took a step or two backwards, only just grasping the gravity of the situation. "What? Impossible." he muttered in shock.

Mira couldn't tear her gaze away from Ace. She was about to explain what Julie had meant- but someone beat her to it.

Joe got up to his feet despite the wound on his chest. He smirked maniacally as he pulled the sword out of himself. "What **she** meant is... When the creator disappears, the creations too follow the same path. It's only **logical**. SO, by killing me, you've just earned yourselves a one-way ticket to kingdom come. Hahaaha." Joe's form fluctuated and he began breaking up into little bits of paper "Either way...I will **definitely** have my tragedy..." And with that, the pieces of papers turned into dust.

Just as Joe disappeared, the whole world started collapsing; colour fluctuated and the scenery began falling apart. Everything was slowly disintegrating into nothing; their world was plunging into chaos.

Billy's knees gave way and he fell to the ground, his hands clutching at his head. "This is entirely my fault... If...if I hadn't killed him then..." tears emerged his eyes as his entire body started trembling.

"No Billy. You saved us and-"

"It's my fault!" yelled Billy, his fingers clutching painfully at his own hair.

Julie managed to break out into a sprint. She could run quite fast now- Mira had already treated her sprain with a hint of spirit magic. (not Fairy Godmother magic which was taken from her)

Julie crouched down beside him and put her arms around him. "Nothing's your fault." she whispered, softly stroking his back.

"But Ju-"

"No one blames you." declared Shun "It's because of you that we were saved from regretful deaths... Thanks to you, we were able to spend more time with the ones we love- even if just a second longer. You **saved** us!"

Billy just stared at the ground in guilt.

Ace walked over to Mira and pulled her into a hug. After resting his chin on the top of her head he let out a sigh- a dreamy sigh. "253 years..." he breathed.

"Stop moping over that already." she chuckled as she put her arms around him.

"You know what? Even if the way we met and what we experienced were creations...I don't mind one bit. Because despite everything; I really love this feeling of having you by my side.

"Still the sweet-talker, I see." muttered Mira as a few tears rolled down her cheeks. "Love you."

Ace smiled into her hair. "How about a first-kiss?"

"Sure, why not?" she whispered, smiling as he closed the distance between their lips. For more than 253 years, they'd been only** dreaming** of this feeling... Now they could experience it and cherish it, even if it were just transient.

Runo turned to Dan. "Uh...I know this world is disappearing, and that we're all vanishing and all...but there's something I want you to know. I'm not an actual human...I'm-"

"A mermaid, I know." completed Dan with a wide grin.

Runo stared at him in surprise. "So you knew?"

Dan shrugged. "A mer-princess...Joe kind of informed me during our fight...And **I'm **a poor, worthless street urchin."

Runo laughed, punching Dan playfully in the shoulder. "As if that makes a difference...We're characters in some worthless guy's story."

"True... Not that I mind." he said once more smiling that ever so bright smile of his. "I love you."

"Took you long enough to say that." she giggled. "I love you too."

Alice smiled at Billy, crouching down beside him. "We're all very grateful..." she spoke using both her hands to raise Billy's face. "Even if we may disappear we're happy. See?" she asked turning Billy's face to the other four who were happily 'flirting' in their respective lovers' arms.

Billy stared at the others- those 'ill-fated' protagonists who were supposed to suffer to no end...They were smiling, they looked so extremely content...Did that mean he was forgiven?

"So...Cheer up, because we're all indebted to you."  
Billy couldn't help but let a small smile tug his lips as he watched Alice's face go crimson when Shun took hold of her hands and pulled them away from Billy's face, muttering "I'm starting to feel jealous, you know."

"Well I...was just trying to cheer him up."

"I feel depressed too." muttered Shun with a sly smile.

"No one will believe you, given that happy look on your face."

"You're right...I am unbelievably happy right now." He whispered pressing his forehead to hers.

Billy chuckled, turning to Julie. "They're all being lovey-dovey."

"I won't loose to them!" declared Julie pulling Billy into a huge bear-hug.

The sky began changing colour to a putrid green, then to an electric purple and then to a thousand other iridescent shades.

'_The end is upon us.'_

**Yeah, so I'm back from my LONG break. Yay! Don't get me wrong****,**** this is NOT the end. There is just one chapter left****-**** the LAST and FINAL one for this story.**

**And guess what? It's already been updated! **

**Please REVIEW here and THEN go to the next chapter, if possible.**

**Please and Thank you.**


	21. Chapter 21

I've published **TWO **chapters in a row this time.** So there is one chapter before this one as a fresh update. Read chapter 20 before this. (I tend to miss these sorts of things all too often)**

**One Fairy Tale Too Many**

**crystal-mist**

**Finale**

_Amidst the bitterness of chaos__,_

_During the prologue of destruction,_

_Upon the earth that so quivers-_

_Giving voice to the world's final moan._

_With unwavering hearts and an eternal longing__,_

_Let us just wait for the conclusion__._

_And hope for the best._

_The end is upon us._

As they waited for everything to fall apart, as they anticipated destruction, something happened. A portal opened up so abruptly-. a portal that had a vortex of bright blue at the centre. A massively strong force began pulling them inside.

"What's happening?"

Julie stared at Billy in horror as he held onto a tree, pushing her into the vortex.

"What the? Billy? What are you trying to do?" she yelled, lunging forwards and hanging desperately onto his arm. The others had already been pulled into it.

"If **destruction** reigns in the story world of yours, then _something as blue as the bright blue sky___**may**___come to your aid_..." muttered Billy, repeating Yuko Ichihara's words. "This portal will probably save you. So **go**."

"And you?"

"One of us has to stay behind in this collapsing place, remember? That is the price we have to pay."

"So **you're** staying? Why is it you and not me?"

"I killed Joe. It's my fault this place is collapsing in the first place. So, it's punishment."

"I refuse." declared Julie, tightening her grip on Billy. "If you stay behind, so will I."

"Stop being idiotic...The portal is closing." he yelled, trying to push her away again.

"You wish to part from me that much?"

"I wish for you to be safe."

"If I'm safe while you die, then that'll only break my heart. Is **that **what you want?"

The portal started decreasing in size.

"Julie...Go...Please...Go..."

"NO!" she shrieked, hanging onto Billy's hand for dear life until the portal came to a close.

"Idiot!" exclaimed Billy.

"I don't care." whispered Julie. "I just followed my heart. So there's no need to get angry."

"Now there's no turning back."

"That's right." Julie took hold of him and pulled him into a kiss as the world disintegrated rapidly and unfailingly faded into nothing.

The two of them had changed the fate of six people. And although they themselves disappeared in the process of saving them, they were with the one they loved more than anything else.

They were content with what they had done.

After all, being together...was enough.

***~~X~~***

In his original world, Joe had died. A lot of important people attended the funeral of this great literary genius who'd never written stories with unhappy endings- the literary genius whose works symbolized nothing but the purity of heart, incapable of writing tragedies in all its entirety.

***~~X~~***

The sky was blue, the birds were chirping and the season was heavenly.

Sitting on the stone steps that led to a river was a girl, the same girl who'd accompanied Joe in the hospital. There wasn't anything that made her particularly stand out. She had brown hair reaching a bit past her shoulders; brownish black eyes and was clad in a sky-blue dress like always. In her hand, she held a little pebble.

Quite abruptly she threw the pebble onto the riverbank.

Clonk, the pebble hit someone on the head. And that 'someone' jumped up in alarm. His brown eyes widened as he examined the surroundings while his chocolate hair whipped in the wind... "How...how is this possible? W...where are we?"

He hurriedly started waking up his companions who were still asleep on the river-bank. It was all so strange- could story characters really die and go to heaven? Was that at all possible?

Shun, Alice, Ace, Mira, Runo and Dan couldn't believe their eyes. What was this? And where were Julie and Billy?

This world...it wasn't theirs. Somehow, the surroundings seemed a lot more authentic...

"But I thought we- Ow!" Dan rubbed his forehead where another pebble struck him.

It was only then that they noticed the black-haired girl who was now right beside them.

"Hey, who do you think you are, throwing stones at strangers?" fumed up Dan.

She only laughed playfully as she scanned the crowd of people. "Welcome to **reality**." she said spreading her arms out wide. She closed her eyes as a cool breeze blew by, whipping her hair to one side. "Now... you don't worry about anything..."

They stared at the teenage girl in awe. "What do you-"

"You're free." saying this she turned on her heel and ran away."You are...**REAL** people now."

The stunned six stared after her.

After a little while, they finally realized what had happened. They'd somehow got transported to the real world! It was strange, but true.

For some reason Shun picked that moment to walk up to Mira and ask her something that'd been eating at him for a long while now.

"Hey, you said that on the day of my birthday I would find my one true love...And I only danced with ONE girl that day and I still don't know who **she** is...And I **love** Alice. Doesn't that mean your prophecy was nothing but baloney? Who was **she** anyway?"

Mira stared at Shun in surprise. She was about to answer when Alice and Ace suddenly burst into helpless laughter.

"Yeah, that girl was a total **sweet-heart **alright." commented Ace amidst his fit of laughter.

Ace yelped as Dan punched him in the gut.

"What?" asked Shun to Alice, who was still laughing.

"Well...You see." She started.

"Don't you dare!" warned Dan through gritted teeth.

Alice giggled. "That girl...wasn't really a girl. It was Dan in disguise."

"What?" exclaimed Runo. "That means Shun's true 'destined one' is... Dan!"

"Eeeewwwww!" bellowed both Shun and Dan in unison.

Shun pointed at Mira. "You...you...What's wrong with YOU!"

Mira smiled, appearing totally unperturbed. "I said, on the day of your birthday **something would happen** that would lead to the **introduction of your one true love**. I did not say that you'd necessarily meet her on that day. From day one, I've known that Shun and Alice were destined for one another."

Shun and Dan both heaved a sigh of relief.

Soon all the happiness drained from Alice's face. "Julie and Billy...Does this mean they didn't make it? They saved us...and now, where are they?"

The atmosphere immediately went from glad to grim.

"Don't worry." shouted the girl clad in blue as she reappeared from behind a tree. "They'll fine. They're **together**, so they're happy."

"Isn't it about time for you to scram!" called out Dan, secretly thankful to her for saying that Julie and Billy were happy. Something about the way she said it made him want to believe it completely.

"I'm leaving, I'm leaving." she said, her childishness completely dissipating for a few moments. "The characters acquired a will of their own, they're quite perfect. Joe was a great author regardless of what anyone says..." she muttered to herself, walking away leisurely.

Back in Joe's hospital room, the nurse was cleaning out Joe's belongings.

She stared in surprise at the single piece of paper that lay on his desk... 'The writer's heart ached for the safety of his creations. He wished them to be set free, to live in a world where they could all be happy. As he lay on his death bed, he started writing the appropriate ending for his characters. They deserved to live on. And so he wrote; just as everything was about to end, a new ray of hope lit up their fu-'

The writing paused abruptly.

Below there was this paragraph written in slightly different handwriting and in sky blue ink.

'Just as everything was about to end, a new ray of hope lit up their future. With pure hearts that transcended across what was logical, the six of them had accepted their fate. If indeed they were to disappear from existence; then how better a way to die than in the arms of your most beloved? Despite being told they had no feelings, they laughed, cried and endured extreme hardship together... Despite being creations, they had loved.'

'Their love became their strength... Their yearning created a reaction from some unknown celestial force, the six of them got pulled into a sky-blue vortex...And somehow, they ended up in the real world, as real people, with real hearts and real bodies...'

'A new vast world had opened up before them. And they would strive towards greatness -as they **now **lived in the world of their creator... '

'After all, it's true when they say: when it comes to legendary art, the creations shall outlive the creator...'

And below this sky-blue paragraph was a caption - _'final paragraph courtesy of crystal-mist'._

Which brings us to the final question- who exactly was that teenage girl with black hair in the sky-blue dress anyway? Care to take a guess?

**One Fairy Tale Too Many**

**Fin~~**

**Wow, done at last! Took me long enough, huh? Sorry for the wait everyone. **

**I know you all wanted Julie and Billy to be saved as well. But then again, the law of equivalent exchange can't be tampered with, I'm sorry. But they were happy in the end and they had done the right thing to save the others, right? Ooh they are so righteous!**

**This is my longest story ever, what with 21 chapters and all! Wow, 21!**

**Please REVIEW, this is the end, so you won't get more chances. :)**

**Thanks for reading EVERYONE.**

**See you all again. (if you ****'****want' to read my other stories****,**** that is )**

**Bye for now~~**


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